Nowhere is this more pertinent than on the Android platform where the quality control of the official “Android Market” is less stringent than Apple’s AppStore. Google are working hard to combat this and regularly remove apps found to be malicious but users should be aware of the inherent risk.

You can stay on top of threats and scams on Android devices by following our Mobile Threats blog run by our AVG Mobilation™ team. On top of that, you can secure your device for free with our own AVG Mobilation app which can not only protect you from malware also help you recover your phone if it gets lost or stolen.

If that weren’t enough, our Facebook AVG Free Community of nearly 700,000 users is always full of helpful advice and here is what some of them have to say about keeping your mobile device safe and sound.

AVG Community Top 5 tips for securing your phone against malware:

• Avoid installing any applications that aren’t downloaded from the official “Android Marketplace”. If you don’t know who made it, you can’t trust it.

• Don’t install anything that sounds too good to be true! Examples may include “free ring tones” “free wallpaper” etc. Always be sure what your downloading is legitimate.

• Think twice before “rooting” or jailbreaking your device to allow a lower level of protection than standard Android OS release.

• Always keep your phone updated with the latest operating system. This will make sure your phone is as safe as possible. You should check for system updates about once a month.

• Install an antivirus app on your phone. You should be sure to check all settings; make sure the appropriate boxes are checked for the data you are receiving, i.e. web surfing, text messaging and real-time scanner. Ensure that you scan your device regularly and above all keep it up to date!

Related articles

• Fake it till you make it: Mobile Update Week 4 (blogs.avg.com)

Several AVG users reported high disk space usage by AVG Security toolbar log file. Please be informed this issue has been rectified with recent AVG 2012™ program update. Here you can find release notes for the mentioned program update (Hotfix 10). Should you face similar difficulties, please update your AVG by clicking the Update now button in the AVG user interface.

2. MS Outlook is freezing when AVG Anti-Spam is installed.

AVG Forums users reported MS Outlook startup is slowed down, sometimes freezing. This issue was caused by AVG Anti-Spam component if user has the MS Outlook plugin for AVG E-mail Protection installed. The issue has been rectified with the recently released AVG 2012 program update (Hotfix 10; release notes).

Should you face such difficulties, please update your AVG by clicking the Update now button in the AVG user interface.

3. General update error

A few users reported general error during AVG update in this week. Although a cause of the issue varies across the individual cases, the AVG repair installation will rectify the problem in most cases. More information about AVG repair installation procedure can be found in these FAQ articles:

AVG Free Edition: FAQ 4372

AVG commercial version: FAQ 4421

In case the issue is not rectified, please contact AVG technical support; AVG update log will be requested for detailed analysis.

4. Stubborn infection

AVG Forums visitors reported hard to remove infections lately, sometimes accompanied by rootkits. Scanning the system using updated AVG Rescue CD when an infection is coming back usually rectifies the issue. AVG Rescue CD is able to find rootkits easily as they are not active when the host operating system is not running.

In case an infection is still coming back or cannot be removed, it may be hidden in a virtual file system which is not accessible by usual means or protected in a different way.

Should you need assistance with infection removal, please contact AVG technical support or describe the issue on AVG Forums.

5. AVG search on newly opened Firefox tabs

AVG Forums visitors mentioned they would like to disable the AVG default new tab page (which includes AVG secure search). This feature could be disabled by clicking the Settings link in lower-right corner of the newly opened tab (note the Settings link is not available on home page, it is present only on newly opened tabs):

- Modify the Show AVG Secure Search Box on new tabs in the browser as you wish.

- Click OK to save your configuration.

Related articles

• AVG Feedback Update: Week 4 (blogs.avg.com)
• AVG Feedback Update – Week 2 (blogs.avg.com)
• AVG Feedback Update: Week 3 (blogs.avg.com)

“Hello I am Matthew Simm or Simmy for short. I have been working on the AVG Facebook page for about 4 months now helping and supporting people who use AVG on a day to day business. I am currently studying at my local college in Sunderland, UK so I have little spare time. However when I do get it, I primarily use it to help others with any technical problems that they might encounter on using their PC.

The thing that I like the most about AVG is the community atmosphere. No other security provider treats their customers as a family and you feel a sense of togetherness. Also I like how with AVG you can ask for help through a variety of different channels such as Facebook, the AVG blogs as well as the usual e-mail and telephone support. This is not only convenient for the customer but it also means that response times to queries are very fast unlike other competitors.

Also I like the identity protection feature that not only protects you from threats such as key loggers that can steal your identity and log your keystrokes, but it also detects unknown malware that AVG does not currently have a signature for as new malware is created every second.

I can vaguely remember being introduced to AVG around about 2006/2005 back when it was AVG 7.1. I was in school and my teacher received a popup on her computer screen notifying her that the AVG virus definitions had been updated, so that night I went home and decided to try out the software for myself as I did not use anti-virus software at the time. Fast forward about 5 years and I have not looked back once, the software as fast, efficient and easy to use.”

Related articles

• Introducing the latest Community Award Winners (blogs.avg.com)
• Introducing AVG VIP: Arsa First (blogs.avg.com)
• Introducing AVG VIP: Barry Eyt (blogs.avg.com)

Several AVG users reported high disk space usage by AVG Security toolbar log file. Also, users may note the vprot.exe process is taking more CPU time than usually when checking their Windows Task Manager. Should you face similar situation, please refer to this FAQ article to remove the large log file.

2. Strange AVG file names

Several users were confused by strangely named AVG files, mostly the “roc_roc_dec12.exe” file lately. If unsure about a certain file, we recommend checking its digital signature as follows:

- Right-click the respective file and select Properties from the context menu.

- Switch to the Digital Signatures tab.

- Verify that the file is signed by trusted authority as seen on the following screenshot:

If unsure about an unsigned suspicious file, please send it to our virus specialists for analysis as described in this AVG Forums post or contact AVG Technical support.

3. iTunes store not accessible

A few AVG Family Safety™ users mentioned they cannot access the iTunes store. The situation has been rectified after removing AVG Family Safety. Should you face similar situation (with AVG Family Safety installed), please feel free to follow this procedure and post your feedback on AVG Forums.

4. AVG search on newly opened Firefox tabs

A few users mentioned on forums they would like to disable the AVG default new tab page (which includes AVG secure search). This feature could be disabled by clicking the Settings link in lower-right corner of the newly opened tab (note the Settings link is not available on home page, it is present only on newly opened tabs):

- Modify the Show AVG Secure Search Box on new tabs in the browser as you wish.

- Click OK to save your configuration.

5. Anti-Virus not active?

AVG Forums visitors sometimes report AVG Anti-Virus component is inactive. This issue is usually caused by hardware failure. We recommend running memory and hard drive tests to check your hardware health should you face similar situation. If the tests reveal that any of the RAM modules or hard drives is faulty, please consult local computer repair shop or your computer vendor for further guidance. The respective faulty component will need to be replaced.

If the hardware appears to be perfectly healthy and the issue persists, please contact AVG technical support for investigation of the issue.

Related articles

• AVG Feedback Update: Week 3 (blogs.avg.com)
• AVG Feedback Update – Week 2 (blogs.avg.com)
• AVG Feedback Update – Week 1 (blogs.avg.com)

“I am currently working in a hospital in my hometown in The Netherlands. I have been working with computers since I was a little boy. One of my favorite past times is to help out colleagues and friends with computer troubles, I find this very gratifying to do!!
I have been an AVG community member for four months now and I really love it! It’s nice to meet new people with the same interests and to help out whenever I can.

I started out using AVG with version 7.5, left it for a while and came back with the 2011 version. I really love this software: it’s light, easy to understand and offers outstanding protection which keeps me safe online!
I recommend everybody to join this wonderful AVG community, I for one am very proud to be part of it!!!”

Related articles

• Introducing AVG VIP: Arsa First (blogs.avg.com)
• Nominations open for Social Brands 100 (blogs.avg.com)
• AVG Community Talks Passwords (blogs.avg.com)
• Introducing the latest Community Award Winners (blogs.avg.com)

A couple of AVG Family Safety™ users mentioned they cannot access the iTunes store. The situation has been rectified after removing AVG Family Safety. Should you face similar situation (with AVG Family Safety installed), please feel free to follow this procedure and post your feedback on AVG Forums.

2. YouTube Safety Mode with AVG Family Safety

A few users reported that the YouTube Safety Mode is not working with AVG Family Safety. The Safety Mode is enabled all the time when AVG Family Safety Safe Surf feature is turned on. The issue has been passed to developers for investigation.

As a temporary work-around, we recommend disabling the Safe Surf feature temporarily and deleting browser cookies as described here.

3. Trojan horse SHeur4.MTZ

We received few reports on Samsung driver software detected as the abovementioned Trojan horse. We can confirm the Trojan horse SHeur4.MTZ was a false alarm already removed with AVG virus database update released on 2012-01-08 11:02 GMT. Please accept our apology for any inconvenience caused by this incorrect detection.

Should you suspect a file is detected in error as malicious while it is in fact harmless, please do not hesitate sending the file to our virus specialists as described in this forum post.

4. AVG Mobilation™: SIM change notification

Several AVG Mobilation users reported they have received notifications about SIM card change recently even though the SIM card was not replaced. Our developers immediately disabled the SIM card change notification e-mails until the issue is investigated in details and rectified. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

5. AVG trial version installed instead of AVG Free Edition?

Please be informed that AVG Free Edition online installer allows either installation of AVG Free Edition™ or AVG Internet Security™ trial version (usage is limited to 30 days). Users sometimes install the AVG Internet Security trial version, which contains the AVG full comprehensive and complementary protection feature set, and are surprised by the 30-day license limitations. After the trial period is over, user can easily downgrade to AVG Free Edition if you are ultimately not interested in the Internet Security package, which we still highly recommend.

When installing, user may choose the preferred package as seen on the following AVG installation wizard screen:

Related articles

• AVG Feedback Update – Week 1 (blogs.avg.com)
• Weekly Feedback Update- Week 49 (blogs.avg.com)

Borislav Angelov

I work in IT Network and Computer Security and as a system security maintenance engineer.

AVG has always been my antivirus of choice. I started with the free version and later chose to upgrade to the paid version.

I joined the AVG Community because it is a democratic and free community where you can meet different people from different ethnic groups from around the world. It’s a place where you can seek help or lend a hand on any issue while making friends with people from around the world for life.
This is one of the most beautiful places on the web, congratulations to the entire community, thanks AVG.

Matthew ‘Simmy” Simm

I am currently a student studying computing at city of Sunderland college. I learned about AVG back in the 7.0 days and ever since then, I have recommended it to both family and friends as a great tool for protecting both computers and identities online. I love the LinkScanner technology which has saved me so many times from phishing websites, as well as the identity alert tool which gives me added peace of mind when banking online. Overall I enjoy helping AVG customers and I am proud to be part of the community to bring “people powered protection” to life.

Saul Rojas

I found AVG on Youtube when I was watching a video review of their antivirus product. I have to say I was impressed with what I saw, so I thought I’d give it a try and have not looked back. I care about online security and I help my friends and family when I can. I would recommend AVG to anyone, as I have been using it for a long time now and have never had any issues.

Sharath Kulkarni

I’m a Mechanical Engineering student in my 1st year at Jain University, Bangalore, India.

I’m very interested in computer & mobile Apps and their development and have spent many hours playing with newly launched software and learning how they works.

I came to know about AVG from my brother Varun Parvitaker who is a 4 times award winner and an AVG VIP in AVG community on Facebook.
AVG is simply a superb antvirus, it is user friendly and it has many great features. If you have a little faith and switch to AVG, it will give you great results.

I also have AVG Internet Security which works superbly and includes AVG PC tune up at installation. These are great programs for keeping you safe when you are surfing online and help keep your computer running smoothly. I use PC TuneUp once a week at least.

Since joining, the AVG Facebook community has treated me as a part of its family. It has never let me down.

Good going AVG, keep rocking and blocking (the virus!).

Related articles

• AVG Community Talks Passwords (blogs.avg.com)
• Introducing AVG VIP: Arsa First (blogs.avg.com)

I’ve now been using AVG for about 4 years and have never had a problem.”
Thanks to AVG for protecting my PC and laptop for 4 years.

“Touchscreens like on my iPod make it harder to make a complex password work well. When I had to redo my router a while back I went ahead and changed the password code to secure it. It’s a pain to redo those passwords on my iPod or BlackBerry.”  Cynthia C.

“I always try to use different and complex passwords; I do not want to get hacked too easy ” Barry E.

“For me it really depends on the site/location. Facebook for example would have a longer password than an intranet login (DET for me). Simply because no one would bother hacking a small school-based intranet when there’s Facebook around.”  Jaiden C.

“Nope, I always use a password with at least 8 characters, of which at least 1 number and 1 capital letter.”  Masa H.

“I hate having to change my passwords numerous times. Length is not so much of a factor as constantly having to change.” Dennis G.

“I used to use simple passwords on my phones and long difficult one on my pc’s but these days with the advent of full integration of smart devices I am tending towards the same types of passwords for both.” Russel M.

“I choose passwords depending on the importance of the service/device. I use different email addresses for different purposes, I have an address which I use for social network at yahoo and one at hotmail for browser games, both have a passwords with a combination of 6 letters and numbers. My main addresses at Google and web.de have both a length of 9, and so on…” Guido E.

“ I had to change ma password since I bought a new phone because I have to type my password every time I log into Facebook I miss my old phone that on always keep me sign in now I have a short password ” Saul R.

“The device doesn’t change what I use for passwords but it does make entering the long complex passwords that I use much more difficult to enter on some devices, like my XBOX 360 and my Boxee Box. Complex passwords are also a problem when setting up my wife’s equipment and accounts.” Clark F. 

As the community has highlighted, it can be easier to cut corners when setting passwords on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets but it’s important to be vigilant and maintain password strength across any device.

Here are some basic guidelines to using some strong passwords:

• Length is key: The longer your password, the harder it is to hack using brute force methods.
• Mix it up: Throw some symbols in there, and don’t be afraid to make up words!
• Don’t get personal: Don’t use personal data such as your mother’s maiden name for your passwords. Should your information fall into the wrong hands, it could cause further complications.

What about you? Do you use different password complexity depending on the device? Let us know here on the blog or join in the discussion with our Facebook Community.

Please be informed the speedtest.net service is now promoted in AVG user interface:

You will be redirected to speedtest.net website by clicking the Speedtest component to perform quick test of your connection speed. We recommend terminating all running applications using Internet connection (peer-to-peer client software, software update tools, your browser, Skype client, etc.) before running the test to get accurate results.

Feel free to post your comments regarding Speedtest at AVG Forums.

2. Anti-Virus not active?

One of AVG Forums visitors reported AVG Anti-Virus component is inactive. This issue is usually caused by hardware failure. We recommend running memory and hard drive tests to check your hardware health should you face similar situation. If the tests reveal that any of the RAM modules or hard drives is faulty, please consult local computer repair shop or your computer vendor for further guidance. The respective faulty component will need to be replaced.

If the hardware appears to be perfectly healthy and the issue persists, please contact AVG technical support for investigation of the issue.

3. Stubborn infection

AVG Forums visitors reported hard to remove infections lately, sometimes accompanied by rootkits. Scanning the system using updated AVG Rescue CD when an infection is coming back usually rectifies the issue. AVG Rescue CD is able to find rootkits easily as they are not active when the host operating system is not running.

In case an infection is still coming back or cannot be removed, it may be hidden in a virtual file system which is not accessible by usual means or protected in a different way.

Should you need assistance with infection removal, please contact AVG technical support or describe the issue on AVG Forums.

4. AVG LiveKive voucher could not be redeemed during trial period

One of AVG LiveKive users reported trouble redeeming his LiveKive voucher at AVG Forums. We have investigated the situation and found a technical issue preventing redeeming vouchers before the trial period is over. This issue has been reported to our developers.

Should you face any trouble redeeming LiveKive voucher, please wait until your trial period is over and try to redeem the voucher afterwards. Should the issue persist, please do not hesitate contacting AVG technical support for assistance.

5. Groupon offer: AVG license missing

A few AVG users reported purchasing AVG license from SRE Computing company using a Groupon offer. It seems that some users were not provided with license keys properly. If you have used this Groupon offer lately too and you are missing AVG license, please proceed as described in this AVG Forums post.

Please be informed Mozilla Firefox 9 is fully supported by AVG 2012 and AVG 2011 currently. More information can be found in this AVG Forums post.

Should you face any compatibility issues (LinkScanner, AVG Toolbar) while using AVG and Firefox 9, please make sure to update your AVG and restart your Firefox browser.

2. AVG Family Safety™ enables YouTube Safety Mode

AVG Forums visitors reported the YouTube Safety Mode is always enabled regardless on configuration of the YouTube profile which may prevent viewing videos. YouTube Safety Mode is forced if the Safe Search option is enabled in AVG Family Safety. Please proceed as described in this AVG Forums post if you would like to browse YouTube videos freely.

3. MS Outlook is freezing when AVG Anti-Spam is installed.

AVG Forums users reported MS Outlook startup is slowed down, sometimes freezing. This issue seems to be caused by AVG Anti-Spam component if user has the MS Outlook plugin for AVG E-mail Protection installed. This issue has been fixed by the recently released AVG 2012.1890 program update. More information on how to update AVG can be found in this FAQ article.

When browsing e-mails in MS Outlook, you may face similar slowdown with AVG Anti-Spam enabled. This issue will be fixed in one of the upcoming cumulative AVG program updates.

Should you face such slowdown even after updating AVG and restarting your computer, we recommend disabling AVG Anti-Spam component temporarily. Please proceed as follows to do so:

- Open the AVG user interface and click the E-mail Protection component.

- Clear the Enable Anti-Spam check mark.

- Click Save changes.

Please note this issue does not occur when AVG Free Edition or AVG Anti-Virus is installed, because they do not feature the Anti-Spam component. The issue is limited to AVG 2012 product line only. AVG user interface will report E-mail protection not fully functional after disabling the Anti-Spam component. Rest assured that virus protection is still active, only spam messages are not being filtered.

Should you need additional assistance, please contact AVG technical support.

4. How to revert unwanted changes done by AVG PC Tuneup™?

AVG PC Tuneup is powerful optimizing tool. Unfortunately, it may happen that some changes of the system configuration do not quite suit your needs. If using AVG PC Tuneup resulted in unwanted system behavior, you can easily revert any of the taken changes using the Rescue Center as described in this FAQ article.

5. Stubborn infection

AVG Forums visitors reported hard to remove Trojan Horse Agent type infections lately. Scanning the system using updated AVG Rescue CD when an infection is coming back usually rectifies the issue. Please see this example AVG Forums infection removal thread.

In case an infection is still coming back or cannot be removed, it may be hidden in a virtual file system which is not accessible by usual means or protected in a different way.

Should you need assistance with infection removal, please contact AVG technical support or describe the issue on AVG Forums.

Android apps by Laihui

You can get an app for just about everything these days, even for the things you never thought you needed, such as star gazing apps, or to the very useful, such as apps to help you locate your phone when you’ve misplaced it!

And it’s likely that new smartphones or tablets will be among the most popular presents this festive season and the simple fact is that a tablet or smartphone are only made better by the apps you have on it.

So we asked our Facebook community to tell us what their favourite apps are for their Android phones and tablets. So if you are the lucky recipient, you at least have a place to start for highly recommended apps.

Let us know what you think?  It’s not an exhaustive list and I am sure there are some apps missed off, so let us know what you think and suggest your favorites as well.

Of course, if you want to stay safe then download AVG Mobilation from the Android marketplace to keep your phone and tablet safe and virus free.

AVG’s Facebook community’s favourite apps

Performance and data improving apps

Advanced Task Killer – helps manage tasks and stops them running and draining your memory

CPU Master – changes CPU speed of a rooted Android phone

My data manager – control mobile data use and save yourself some money

AirDroid - manage and control your Android device Over-The-Air

JuiceDefender - manage your battery life

Useful productivity apps

Camscanner - turn phone to documents scanner

Springpad – a great remembering tool

Trip it – good for keeping your holiday itineraries and plans in one place

Google goggles – search the real world by taking a picture

Barcode scanner – scan barcodes then looks up prices and reviews

AK Notepad – easy note taking

Pandora radio – free radio

Other useful lists of Android apps can be found here – Best Android Apps of 2011 and also 101 best Android apps.

Happy festive and holiday season.

Picture published courtesy of Laihui.

Please be informed crucial system files are white-listed by AVG. This mechanism prevents damaging the operating system when such critical file is infected by malware. AVG will not remove it and user is informed that the file is white-listed. This raises a question how to remove the infection completely then?

- As the first step, we recommend browsing specialized AVG removal utilities on this web page. Simply type a few letters of the infection name to search for suitable removal utility. If there is suitable utility found, download it and proceed according to the displayed instructions to heal the infected files. These specialized virus removal utilities will actually “heal” the infected files by surgically removing the altered malware code only keeping the original code.

- If there is no suitable virus removal utility available, the infected file needs to be replaced with a clean copy of it. Clean copy of a system file could be found on original installation media, in the same operating system running on a clean computer or in a backup (if available). More information on how to replace a system file can be found in this AVG Forums article.

- If you suspect the detected file is in fact clean and harmless, please provide it to our virus analysts as described in this AVG Forums post.

2. Rootkits

In the past week, we noted several users fighting rootkits on AVG Forums. Please note that although AVG detects rootkit-like behavior, some of the detected rootkits could be used by legitimate applications and does not mean any harm. Before removing a rootkit, make sure it is not used by a legitimate software. If unsure, please contact AVG technical support for assistance.

Please check these FAQ articles in case you would like to know more about rootkits and their removal:

What is rootkit?

How to deal with rootkits?

Modern rootkits overwriting the Master Boot Record (MBR) may sometimes prevent the MBR sector from being fixed when the operating system is running (and the rootkit itself is active). In such case, the MBR needs to be overwritten with the host operating system offline. This can be done by the Windows recovery console.

Rewriting the MBR improperly may prevent the operating system from booting. We recommend performing this operation only if you are absolutely sure or if asked to do so by AVG technical support (detailed information will be provided in such case). More information about rewriting the MBR sector can be found in this AVG Forums article. After fixing the MBR sector, we strongly recommend running a full computer scan using updated AVG to remove possible infection remnants.

Please do not hesitate contacting AVG technical support if an infection cannot be removed or is repeatedly coming back after its removal.

3. AVG Secure Search on newly opened Firefox tabs

A few users mentioned on forums they would like to disable the AVG default new tab page (which includes AVG Secure Search). This feature could be disabled by clicking the Settings link in lower-right corner of the newly opened tab (note the Settings link is not available on home page, it is present only on newly opened tabs):

- Modify the Show AVG Secure Search Box on new tabs in the browser as you wish.

- Click OK to save your configuration.

4. AVG requesting system restart repeatedly

AVG Forums users reported AVG requesting restart repeatedly after completing the AVG update process. This issue is likely caused by certain update files could not been renamed for some reason.

Please proceed as follows to rectify the situation:

- Navigate to the following folder (some files and folders are hidden by default operating system configuration):

C:\ProgramData\avg2012\cfg\

…or (if using Windows XP):

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\avg2012\cfg\

- Verify that the updatecomps.cfg.prepare file is present in this folder.

- Delete the updatecomps.cfg file.

- Rename the updatecomps.cfg.prepare to updatecomps.cfg.

Please contact AVG technical support should you need further assistance.

5. Battlefield 3 network gameplay limited by firewall

A few Battlefield 3 users reported network connectivity issues resolved after disabling AVG Firewall in past. Previously, we recommended disabling the Intrusion Detection System. However, thorough testing performed in our environment revealed no connectivity issues with AVG Firewall enabled. Please see this AVG Forums post to find out more.

AVG Forums users reported MS Outlook startup is slowed down, sometimes freezing. This issue seems to be caused by AVG Anti-Spam component if user has the MS Outlook plugin for AVG E-mail Protection installed. This issue has been fixed by our developers and currently is waiting to be released in one of the upcoming AVG program updates.

If you’d like to test the fix, we invite you to join AVG beta program.

As a temporary work-around, we recommend disabling the AVG Anti-Spam component temporarily. Please proceed as follows to do so:

- Open the AVG user interface and click the E-mail Protection component.

- Clear the Enable Anti-Spam check mark.

- Click Save changes.

Please note this issue does not occur when AVG Free Edition or AVG Anti-Virus is installed, because they do not feature the Anti-Spam component. The issue is limited to AVG 2012 product line only.

Should you need additional assistance, please contact AVG technical support.

2. AVG search on newly opened Firefox tabs

A few users mentioned on forums they would like to disable the AVG default new tab page (which includes AVG secure search). This feature could be disabled by clicking the Settings link in lower-right corner of the newly opened tab:

- Modify the Show AVG Secure Search Box on new tabs in the browser as you wish.

- Click OK to save your configuration.

3. AVG Secure Search

We would like to inform you about new AVG Secure Search. This search facility is included in your AVG Security Toolbar. The search results are evaluated a bit differently now. Remote online database is used for checking the links in search results. This is different comparing to search results evaluation on Google, Bing and other supported search portals where locally stored LinkScanner database is used. Only links containing an active threat are marked with verdict icon. Safe websites are not marked with green verdict icons when using AVG Secure Search. Also, even if AVG is not installed on a computer, the search results are evaluated when using AVG Secure Search as the evaluation is performed on the remote server.

4. False positive alarms

We noticed a couple of false positive alarms reported on forums in the past week. Anti-virus may detect a legitimate application sometimes when a part of its code is similar to a code in newly created malware. This situation happens from time to time with every anti-virus software. Even though AVG implements advanced anti-false mechanisms to minimize risk of false alarms, the situation may occur anyway. If you suspect an application has been detected incorrectly, please submit the respective file to our virus analysts. There are two options how to proceed:

A) Sending via web page http://samplesubmit.avg.com. Please note there is no feedback provided to sender in this case.

B) Sending via e-mail as described in this AVG Forums post. When a sample is analyzed, e-mail response is sent back to sender with result.

More information about false positive alarms is available in the above linked AVG Forums article.

5. Battlefield 3 network gameplay limited by firewall

A few Battlefield 3 users reported network connectivity issues resolved after disabling AVG Firewall. Prior to disabling AVG Firewall, please make sure it is configured to allow the Battlefield 3 network traffic. More information on which applications need to be allowed for Battlefield 3 online gameplay can be found for example on this web page.

If the network gameplay seems to be still limited by AVG Firewall, we recommend disabling IDS as described in this AVG Forums post.

Should you face any challenge configuring AVG Firewall, please contact AVG technical support.

Of course all these films involve and probably glorify hacking, not something that we condone, but hey it’s Hollywood and we thought it might make a nice fun bit of content to celebrate the three million views we have just recorded on our YouTube channel. Thank you viewers!

So in homage to the hacking theme indulge yourself in this eight-bit list for a full byte of hacking pleasure…If we have missed off any of your favorites, then let us know.

8. Enemy of the State:

Will Smith is on the run from the authorities and the situation is looking hopeless. Queue the entrance of appropriately named Gene Hackman, an ex security specialist and computer expert.

7. Swordfish:

Talented hacker but good guy Hugh Jackman falls into the employ of super villain John Travolta in order to see his daughter again. He barely has time to fall in love with Halle Berry and save the world in this highly stylized hacking flick.

6. Goldeneye:

James Bond is saving the world again and this time he comes up against hacking virtuoso and professional pen clicker Boris (played by Alan Cumming).  Expect vintage 007 in this action packed adventure that has gone down as a Bond classic.

5. Tron:

Hacker and video arcade owner Jeff  Bridges is abducted quite literally into the digital world inside a computer and has to compete in a series of gladiatorial games to survive, with the help of a piece of security software (not AVG, we promise!) An absolute sci-fi classic.

4.  Sneakers:

The story revolves around two college buddies (Robin Redford  and Dan Aykroyd) who take different paths in life. One becomes an ethical hacker, and the other dabbles more in the dark arts. Some great plot twists and comic scenes make this a good way to spend a Saturday afternoon at home.

3. The Matrix:

In many ways a seminal film, The Matrix follows hacker Keanu Reeves as he discovers the truth behind our everyday lives and is soon drawn into an epic battle between man and machine.

2. Hackers:

This film centers on a group of young hackers who discover an evil plot to unleash a virus on the world. In order to get the proof they need, they need to pool together their hacking skills, led by Johnny Lee-Miller and stars a young Angelina Jolie. Unsurprisingly overlooked for the Oscars but Hackers still offers a lot of fun.

1. Wargames:

A young hacker exploring the early days of the Internet stumbles across a game involving missile defense. Little does he know that he is actually controlling real life events and soon things escalate out of control. With a view of technology and connectivity that was way ahead its time, Wargames is a hacking must-see.

A few Mozilla Firefox users mentioned that AVG Security Toolbar and AVG Safe Search add-on is not available in Mozilla Firefox 8. It is likely that the AVG add-ons were disabled together with other third party add-ons while updating the Mozilla Firefox browser. During the update process, user is presented with a dialogue window similar to the following one:

Add-ons which were not installed manually by user are by default disabled during the update process if not selected otherwise.

If the AVG add-ons were disabled, please proceed as follows to enable them manually:

- Open the Mozilla Firefox browser.

- Click the Firefox button and select Add-ons.

- Choose add-ons you would like to enable and click the Enable button for each of them.

- Restart your Mozilla Firefox browser.

If the AVG add-ons are reported as incompatible, please make sure to install the most recent version of AVG 2012. Firefox 8 support in AVG 2011 is not fully implemented yet. More information about upgrading to AVG 2012 can be found in this video tutorial.

2. White-listed files

Please be informed crucial system files are white-listed by AVG. This mechanism prevents damaging the operating system when such critical file is infected by malware. AVG will not remove it and user is informed that the file is white-listed. This raises a question how to remove the infection completely then?

- As the first step, we recommend browsing specialized AVG removal utilities on this web page. Simply type a few letters of the infection name to search for suitable removal utility. If there is suitable utility found, download it and proceed according to the displayed instructions to heal the infected files. These specialized virus removal utilities will actually “heal” the infected files by surgically removing the altered malware code only keeping the original code.

- If there is no suitable virus removal utility available, the infected file needs to be replaced with a clean copy of it. Clean copy of a system file could be found on original installation media, in the same operating system running on a clean computer or in a backup (if available). More information on how to replace a system file can be found in this AVG Forums article.

- If you suspect the detected file is in fact clean and harmless, please provide it to our virus analysts as described in this AVG Forums post.

3. AVG Security Toolbar was unable to connect with AVG application

Several users reported the AVG Toolbar was unable to connect with AVG application. The following warning is displayed when the Internet browser is started:

Please be informed this issue has been rectified. Kindly update your AVG if you are facing the above displayed pop-up window.

If the issue is not resolved, please perform AVG repair installation using the most recent installation package:

AVG Free Edition

AVG commercial versions

Should you face any further challenge, please contact AVG technical support.

4. AVG requesting system restart repeatedly

AVG Forums users reported AVG requesting restart repeatedly after completing the AVG update process. This issue is likely caused by certain update files could not been renamed for some reason.

Please proceed as follows to rectify the situation:

- Navigate to the following folder (some files and folders are hidden by default operating system configuration):

C:\ProgramData\avg2012\cfg\

…or (if using Windows XP):

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\avg2012\cfg\

- Verify that the updatecomps.cfg.prepare file is present in this folder.

- Delete the updatecomps.cfg file.

- Rename the updatecomps.cfg.prepare to updatecomps.cfg.

Please contact AVG technical support should you need further assistance.

5. AVG 2012 Installation error 0xE001003E

AVG 2012 installation may fail and report the abovementioned error in some cases. This situation is caused by incorrect registry values. In case you are facing this error while installing AVG 2012, please check your system registry as described in this AVG Forums post.

Kindly contact AVG technical support for further assistance, if the issue cannot be resolved.

First off, I’m currently a student studying Information Technology, Business Administration and Photography from a University and online at two Companies. This is my 3rd year of schooling for both. During my schooling, I have pursued certifications such as MCP, MCSA, MCSE, and others from Microsoft. I am also certified from Cisco, and hold many other certifications ranging from Business Management to Security to anything in the field that relates to it. Right now, I’m pursing some Photography certifications for my one business. I’m also a business owner of two companies “Computer Wonders” and “Denise Makar Photography”.

From a very young age, I loved creating art, playing with video games and computers. In 2002/2004, I gradually acquired knowledge about computers such as website designing to computer programming to troubleshooting and onto much harder, complex things later on in the years. From then to now, I have almost covered all ends of the IT field out there, which can all be found on my two websites. (http://www.computerwonders.com/ and http://www.denisemakarphotography.com/)

I had come to know about AVG, back when it was called Grisoft and came across it off the Internet during one of my searches. The version I had at the time was 6.0, which was installed on my first purchased computer. Ever since then, I have tested other Anti-Virus products, (such as Norton, Avast, McAfee, Avira, Vipre, etc.). Out of all of these, I liked AVG the most.

AVG’s software has the best threat detection technology that is simply incredible! Not only does it detect things on-the-fly! It also is one program which offers the fastest scans around and doesn’t hog up system resources. I think it’s fair to say that AVG has saved my PC from thousands of threats since I installed it. I feel safer in knowing that AVG is there, protecting my PC. I would definitely recommend AVG to anyone. They are the best there is and I want to say “Thank you, AVG!”

I became a VIP of AVG in September of 2010, I spend my free time helping out AVG customers/users in the AVG community when they need it, whether that is about AVG’s software or other IT related problems. All of this and many other things come from the experience I gained over the years. As the sayings go in the IT field, “When someone is in trouble, you save them. Regardless of what the problem may be! It’s your job!” and “Learning never ends in the IT field. Technology is always changing. So keep up with it, if you want to stay ahead!”

AVG Forums visitors reported hard to remove Trojan Horse Agent type infections lately. Scanning the system using updated AVG Rescue CD when an infection is coming back usually rectifies the issue. Please see this example AVG Forums infection removal thread.

In case an infection is still coming back or cannot be removed, it may be hidden in a virtual file system which is not accessible by usual means or protected in a different way.

Should you need assistance with infection removal, please contact AVG technical support or describe the issue on AVG Forums.

2. AVG 2012 program update recreates Desktop shortcut

A couple of AVG Forums users mentioned that AVG program update is still re-creating AVG Desktop icon. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

Developers already rectified the update process behavior. The fix is going to be tested by QA department and released with one of the following AVG program updates,

3. AVG Mobilation Free downloading unknown data

One of AVG Forums users noticed the AVG Mobilation Free is downloading about 6 kilobytes of data on his handheld device repeatedly. Please be informed the AVG Mobilation Free is downloading commercial advertisement displayed in the top banner upon launch. This advertising banner is not included in AVG Mobilation Pro (paid for) versions. You may notice similar behavior with many other free Android applications.

4. AVG Advisor

Please be informed AVG 2012 includes a new AVG Advisor feature. It is designed to warn user that there could be a memory leak in your browser (in a script or a flash within a visited website, respectively). AVG records an average amount of memory used by a browser and is regularly checking the value during browser usage. In case the memory consumption is significantly increased, user is informed about possible memory leak. Browser re-start is recommended in such scenario.

Please see an example of AVG Advisor informative window below:

In case you would like to disable AVG Advisor (this may be handy in case you are used to work with internet browser differently than most users), you may proceed as follows:

- Open AVG user interface and press F8.

- Select the Appearance item in the left tree.

- Untick the Display AVG Advisor performance notifications option.

- This will disable both the notifications and memory usage monitoring.

- Click OK to save any changes.

5. AVG detection exceptions

We noticed certain confusion about managing user detection exceptions on AVG Forums. Detection exceptions needs to be defined for specific AVG components. I.e. when a file is detected by the Identity Protection component and user wants to prevent the file from being detected for some reason, it is needed to define an exception in the Identity Protection Allowed list. Here you can see where the detection exceptions are listed in advanced AVG configuration:

The Anti-Virus -> Resident Shield -> Exceptions were implemented in order to allow user to exclude files or folders which won’t be checked by the Resident Shield component.

The LinkScanner -> Online Shield –> Expert Settings item allows user to specify trusted domains and IP addresses which won’t be scanned by the Online Shield.

The Anti-Rootkit -> Exceptions item is highlighted by a different color because the already defined exceptions can be only removed here. Anti-Rootkit exceptions are created by right-clicking a particular Anti-Rootkit scan result and creating the exception using the context menu displayed. Note that Anti-Rootkit scan can be initiated manually by clicking the Anti-Rootkit component in the AVG user interface and then clicking the Search for rootkits button.

The Potentially Unwanted Program exceptions are a little bit different. Exceptions defined here are applied to both the resident detection and computer scans, but only to Potentially Unwanted Programs (not to Trojan horses, etc.). Note that the other abovementioned exceptions are defined for the particular component only (resident detection), therefore such exceptions are not respected when running the full computer scan.

The AVG Advanced configuration can be accessed by opening the AVG user interface and pressing the F8 key.

If a certain file seems to be detected as a threat while it is in fact harmless, please be sure to report it to our virus analysts as described here.

Several users reported the AVG Toolbar was unable to connect with AVG application. The following warning is displayed when the Internet browser is started:

Please rest assured this does not decrease your security level. The issue is investigated by AVG developers and will be fixed in one of the upcoming AVG program updates.

Please see this FAQ article for more information.

2. AVG Free Edition upgrade to full version failed

When upgrading your AVG Free Edition to full version, you may be presented with an error message stating that a requested file is not available on server. We are working hard to resolve this issue in timely manner.

In the meantime, please upgrade your AVG Free Edition to a purchased full version as follows:

1. Uninstall the AVG Free Edition completely. More information about uninstalling AVG Free Edition can be found in this FAQ article.

2. Install the purchased AVG program using installation package available on this website.

Should you face any challenge upgrading to AVG full version, please contact AVG technical support for assistance.

3. Windows Mobile Device Center blocked by AVG Firewall

One of AVG Forums users reported his Windows Mobile 6.5 device is no longer able to synchronize with his computer using the Windows Mobile Device Center application. A brief analysis revealed the application is not properly allowed in AVG Firewall configuration. Should you experience similar issue, please proceed as described in this AVG Forums post.

4. Restart required repeatedly after an AVG update

AVG Forums users reported AVG requesting restart repeatedly after completing the AVG update process. This issue is likely caused by certain update files could not been renamed for some reason.

Please proceed as follows to rectify the situation:

- Navigate to the following folder (some files and folders are hidden by default operating system configuration):

C:\ProgramData\avg2012\cfg\

…or (if using Windows XP):

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\avg2012\cfg\

- Verify that the updatecomps.cfg.prepare file is present in this folder.

- Delete the updatecomps.cfg file.

- Rename the updatecomps.cfg.prepare to updatecomps.cfg.

Please contact AVG technical support should you need further assistance.

5. False positive alarms

We noticed a couple of false positive alarms reported on forums in the past week. Anti-virus may detect a legitimate application sometimes when a part of its code is similar to a code in newly created malware. This situation happens from time to time with every anti-virus software. Even though AVG 2011 implements advanced anti-false mechanisms to minimize risk of false alarms, the situation may occur anyway. If you suspect an application has been detected incorrectly, please submit the respective file to our virus analysts. There are two options how to proceed:

A) Sending via web page http://samplesubmit.avg.com. Please note there is no feedback provided to sender in this case.

B) Sending via e-mail as described in this AVG Forums post. When a sample is analyzed, e-mail response is sent back to sender with result.

More information about false positive alarms is available in the above linked AVG Forums article.

We received a host of responses from people across the globe and we’ve put some of them together for your viewing pleasure below:

“It begins as soon as they have a social networking personality. Sadly, I think that it mirrors their off-line personality. I would love to see a site that is only for children.” – Heather C.

“WAY too young! And that goes for “real life” as well.”-  Hege H.

 “Oh geeez waaay too young in my opinion. Girls under 12 seem to be even more involved and better able to hide their activities sadly”- Syd N.

“I monitor the phone messages and online behavior of my 15 year old. Preteens and teens today are encouraged by all forms of media to engage in “poor choice” behavior that is supposedly “adult.” My son is the 3rd and my late-life adopted grandchild that I am now raising. This country has allowed morality to become a “dirty word” and immorality to become acceptable, even desirable. The atmosphere surrounding our children is polluted with filthy language, greed, unfaithfulness, violence, illicit sex, and drugs presented to them by adults who then tell them not to act out what they are perceiving as the “norms” of life.”- Gail R

“Depends on the parents, smart parents will educate them when they ask about it. Others will not and so the kids will have to learn it on the internet. Easy as that… so when your kid come to you and asks about it be a smart parent and tell ‘em what they want to know in a suited way for the age they are at.” – Johan B

But what do you think? Come and join the debate with our Facebook Community.