AVG Free Version 9: Beware the small print

esskay

Hi folks,

I was just installing the latest AVG Free Anti-virus software, version 9. Being bored, I paused to peruse the Terms & Conditions. I wasn't bored for very long.

Did you know that by agreeing to the T&C's you are allowing them to collect personally identifiable information (IP, software versions, file info and locations, registry info, ect). Also, they say they will collect information about "potential malware threats", is that not a very vague description? Every exe is a "potential" malware threat, every webpage is a "potential" malware threat, every word doc is a "potential" malware threat, etc.

I am not saying it's a bad thing, it's how they make money from it. If you agree to the T&C's, fair enough, it's a good piece of software, but it ain't free.

The reason for my post.... I thought other AVG users who dislike the thought of being monitored may also like to know. I am glad I spotted it, I personally don't like the thought of being monitored and declined to agree to the T&C's. Now to find an alternative......

Esskay


For anyone wanting to see the original text (it can't be copy & pasted) it's section 7.a of the T&C's, Privacy and Security: General

DannyBuoy

I gave up on AVG about 6 or 8 months ago, I felt it got too unstable. Moved to Avast and haven't looked back.

RoadKillTs

AVG is gone to the dogs Pile of crap. Thanks Grisoft. Good job.

Alanstrainor

Yeah i've gone off AVG, it's gone to the dogs. I use Microsoft security essentials, it seems to work fine, although i'd probably survive without any anti virus. Had my win7 build running for 3 months+ without any antivirus software and it was still grand.

Wookster76

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Yeah i've gone off AVG, it's gone to the dogs. I use Microsoft security essentials, it seems to work fine, although i'd probably survive without any anti virus. Had my win7 build running for 3 months+ without any antivirus software and it was still grand.

Just because you dont notice virus activity doesnt mean its not there...many pc are used passively as bots using underlying process that are transparent to the user.

biko

I, along with many I'm sure, just click "I agree" and sign our rights away.
I don't use AVG but know people who do. I'll let them know so they can read up on it.
Cheers OP

Mjollnir

esskay wrote: »

Hi folks,

I was just installing the latest AVG Free Anti-virus software, version 9. Being bored, I paused to peruse the Terms & Conditions. I wasn't bored for very long.

Did you know that by agreeing to the T&C's you are allowing them to collect personally identifiable information (IP, software versions, file info and locations, registry info, ect). Also, they say they will collect information about "potential malware threats", is that not a very vague description? Every exe is a "potential" malware threat, every webpage is a "potential" malware threat, every word doc is a "potential" malware threat, etc.

I am not saying it's a bad thing, it's how they make money from it. If you agree to the T&C's, fair enough, it's a good piece of software, but it ain't free.

The reason for my post.... I thought other AVG users who dislike the thought of being monitored may also like to know. I am glad I spotted it, I personally don't like the thought of being monitored and declined to agree to the T&C's. Now to find an alternative......

Esskay


For anyone wanting to see the original text (it can't be copy & pasted) it's section 7.a of the T&C's, Privacy and Security: General

I used them for years, and then AVG just started inexplicably conflicting with other, critical software, so I booted them for Avira. Exactly zero problems ever since.

Wookster76

Only one suit for me by far the best antivirus and fire wall is 2nd to none

ESET Smart Security 4 (Nod)
http://www.eset.ie/

Alanstrainor

Wookster76 wrote: »

Just because you dont notice virus activity doesnt mean its not there...many pc are used passively as bots using underlying process that are transparent to the user.

Indeed. But After 3/4 months i installed AVG first...ran a scan...then uninstalled it due to it being a hog, installed avast...ran a scan... and installed security essentials, after disabling avast, i ran a scan. And the most any of them came up with were tracking cookies, which frankly, i don't give a ****e about

CrinkElite

Thanks for the heads up,
Very concerning indeed.


Shocking really!

Anti

Wow... It really does pay off to read the small print.

Overheal

And yet, what other security programs have similar T&C

esskay

I installed avast today, very happy with it. It is very easy to disable which it great for gaming. Browsed the T&C's and spotted nothing out of the ordinary. Looks like this is what I will be using from now on.

Glad my post was of some use, enjoy the holidays.

Esskay.

BadCharlie

Been using AVG for years, but was looking for a change. Will try avast and see how it goes.

Webmonkey

I've been asked to fix many computers lately with virus's and AVG doesn't even seem to notice any strange behavior. Behavior that involved the mouse moving, and typing in certain webpages into the browsers. Full of Trojans.

Avast seems much better in fairness.

CrinkElite

Overheal wrote: »

And yet, what other security programs have similar T&C

Any chance of a sticky to keep an eye on these things?

We have to resist this kind of thing before it becomes the norm!:mad:

flyswatter

Wookster76 wrote: »

Only one suit for me by far the best antivirus and fire wall is 2nd to none

ESET Smart Security 4 (Nod)
http://www.eset.ie/

Agreed. Eset is well worth the money.

DonkeyStyle \o/

I got rid of it before because it insisted on running some busy background process even though I'd disabled realtime scanning.
Crap interface too... stupid ad you can't get rid of, pointless modules.
T&C is just the last nail in the coffin as far as I'm concerned.

ZoneAlarm used to be good too back in 1999, until they bloatware'd it and tried to make it all dumb-dumb user-friendly. I've heard suspicious things about it phoning home too.

danjo-xx

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »

ZoneAlarm used to be good too back in 1999, until they bloatware'd it and tried to make it all dumb-dumb user-friendly. I've heard suspicious things about it phoning home too.

Are there any good free alternatives to ZA?

Bob_Harris

danjo-xx wrote: »

Are there any good free alternatives to ZA?

(Windows Firewall + Windows Firewall Control / Comodo Firewall) + (Windows Security Essentials / Avast / Avira)

DonkeyStyle \o/

I like Sunbelt Personal Firewall, it stays quiet and out of the way, and it's got a very nice connection list... you can see realtime throughput per application which I find very handy.
It doesn't try to do too much if you don't want it to, or nag you constantly to upgrade.
Simple, no-nonsense and very easy to get along with.

aidan_walsh

How much of this applies to things that are done automatically, or things that are done by the user initiating it?

BostonB

aidan_walsh wrote: »

How much of this applies to things that are done automatically, or things that are done by the user initiating it?

You mean the terms and conditions in AVG

BostonB

Webmonkey wrote: »

I've been asked to fix many computers lately with virus's and AVG doesn't even seem to notice any strange behavior. Behavior that involved the mouse moving, and typing in certain webpages into the browsers. Full of Trojans.

Avast seems much better in fairness.

How the heck do the users not notice this.

Have to say I've had no problems with AVG. That said I don't install the bits I don't want like the link scanner, automatic scans, or the updates on m own machine. What I don't like about AVG9 is its leaving some sort of db file on all drives. I hate that kinda clutter. So I'll probably stop using it. I've uninstalled it from my main PC.


Tried the MS one but it slowed the machine down too much. That said any decent review seems to score all the different AV's much the same, with little difference between them.

BostonB

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Indeed. But After 3/4 months i installed AVG first...ran a scan...then uninstalled it due to it being a hog, installed avast...ran a scan... and installed security essentials, after disabling avast, i ran a scan. And the most any of them came up with were tracking cookies, which frankly, i don't give a ****e about

I had the same experience. I dunno what people are doing to get a Virus. I haven't had a machine with a Virus in over 5 years or more. A lot of the time I don't even have a AV installed. Just a firewall, spybot, ccleaner etc. Not acting the fool on the web makes the most difference. I have AVG installed on a lot of other machines and try another one from time to time, and not noticed much difference either.

Alanstrainor

BostonB wrote: »

I had the same experience. I dunno what people are doing to get a Virus. I haven't had a machine with a Virus in over 5 years or more. A lot of the time I don't even have a AV installed. Just a firewall, spybot, ccleaner etc. Not acting the fool on the web makes the most difference. I have AVG installed on a lot of other machines and try another one from time to time, and not noticed much difference either.

The security of modern browsers is enough to catch a lot of the junk online. I actually went on the hunt for viruses to see how good some of these anti viruses were and didn't come across much when using chrome or firefox. Btw i was running virtual machines who's sole purpose in life was to die at the hands of any viruses i could catch. And tbh, i didn't encounter all that much. Again there were tracking cookies and the likes, but other than that there were only a couple of tojans, nothing that killed the machines. I have to say, i was disappointed, perhaps i didn't try hard enough?

BostonB

I used to use firefox but have gone back to ie8 for my main browser with safari as my alternate. Just don't have problems other than the odd tracking cookie.

BostonB

Bound to catch something now.

Alanstrainor

BostonB wrote: »

Bound to catch something now.

Ha, you're doomed.

aidan_walsh

BostonB wrote: »

You mean the terms and conditions in AVG

I mean the things that the terms and conditions refer to, how much of this information is captured and sent automatically and how much is only done on the users intervention, such as sending files to AVG for analysis.

BostonB

No idea I'd expect you should be able to opt out as part of the install.

If you have a different firewall it should blockball out going too.

unnameduser

Wookster76 wrote: »

Only one suit for me by far the best antivirus and fire wall is 2nd to none

ESET Smart Security 4 (Nod)
http://www.eset.ie/

+1 on this!