Avast anti-virus products collect personal data for selling to advertisers

[Batu69]

If you think Avast only collected such user information only for its free product, you are being naive. The privacy policy of paid version of Avast also states the same like AVG anti-virus.

8. Privacy; processing of personal information

The Software collects certain information, which may include personally identifiable information, from the computer on which it is installed, including:

1. URLs of any websites you have visited;
2. Information and files (including executable files) on your computer identified by the Software as potentially infected, together with the information about the nature of identified threats;
3. Information about the sender and subject of emails identified by the Software as potentially infected, together with the information on the nature of identified threats;
4. Information contained in emails reported by you as spam or as incorrectly identified as spam by the Software;
5. Copies of the files identified by the Software as potentially infected or parts thereof may be automatically sent to AVAST for further examination and analysis;
6. Certain information about your computer hardware, software and/or network connection;
7. Certain information about the installation and operation of the Software and encountered errors or problems; and
8. Statistical information about threats detected by the Software.

AVAST reserves the right to store and use the information collected by the Software and to share such information within the AVAST Group...

https://www.avast.com/eula-avast-consumer-products

[steven36]

I think most All Antivirus collect data . Its up to you as a person do you trust the company or not if you dont you should switch to someone you trust. :)

DavidR

Avast Überevangelist

Yes data is collected - As to exactly what is collected and how it is used is outside of my knowledge. Am I worried about what anonymised information that is collected, the answer is no.

[sternog]

Disable reputation services, DeepScreen, remove checkboxes "Participate in data sharing", "Participate in Avast community".

[I4rg£8all8ag]

It would seem that would be a good idea

[Skunk1966]

Disable reputation services, DeepScreen, remove checkboxes "Participate in data sharing", "Participate in Avast community".

just don't use it; how can you trust Anti-Virus that's into data mining??

[steven36]

Disable reputation services, DeepScreen, remove checkboxes "Participate in data sharing", "Participate in Avast community".

just don't use it; how can you trust Anti-Virus that's into data mining??

Don't you use eset ?they collect data too they all do .

Non-Personal Information Automatically Collected

ESET, spol. s r.o. (hereinafter “ESET”) is committed to the protection of privacy of the Site(s) visitors.

Please note that ESET may provide aggregate statistics about our customers, sales, traffic patterns, and related Site information to trusted third parties, but these statistics will not include any personally identifying information.

Personal Information

ESET collects Personal Information for the purposes of provision, development and personalization of the Site(s) and any other ESET sites, services and/or products, research and demographics, statistics and customer care. Specifically, ESET collects personal information for the purposes of personal communication with you in order to respond to your questions, and fulfill your requests. Such information may include, among other information, your name, address, e-mail address and telephone number. These data will be used in the events you have so consented, to contact you for direct marketing purposes via mail, e-mail or phone to conduct market research, and to inform you of and get your feedback on upcoming products, services and/or promotions. If you send us product orders, service requirements or if you send any material to the Site(s), we might have to contact you in order to gain additional information necessary for processing or fulfillment of your orders and/or requirements. Your Personal Information will not be revealed to any third parties without your prior consent, unless required otherwise by legal regulations, or cases, when it is necessary for proceeding of your order, fulfilling of your request, or providing interactive customer service and ESET’s products and services improvement. At the same time you are granting ESET the right to provide the information you submitted to ESET for above purposes to the partners cooperating with ESET.

http://www.eset.com/privacy

[Cereberus]

Disable reputation services, DeepScreen, remove checkboxes "Participate in data sharing", "Participate in Avast community".

is there a guide like this but for nod32 ?

[Skunk1966]

opt out for ESET Live Grid helps a lot.

ESET collects personal information for the purposes of personal communication with you in order to respond to your questions, and fulfill your requests. Such information may include, among other information, your name, address, e-mail address and telephone number. These data will be used in the events you have so consented, to contact you for direct marketing purposes via mail, e-mail or phone to conduct market research, and to inform you of and get your feedback on upcoming products, services and/or promotions. If you send us product orders, service requirements or if you send any material to the Site(s), we might have to contact you in order to gain additional information necessary for processing or fulfillment of your orders and/or requirements. Your Personal Information will not be revealed to any third parties without your prior consent, unless required otherwise by legal regulations, or cases, when it is necessary for proceeding of your order, fulfilling of your request, or providing interactive customer service and ESET’s products and services improvement. At the same time you are granting ESET the right to provide the information you submitted to ESET for above purposes to the partners cooperating with ESET.

email, name etc. are needed for informing you when your paid license is ending.

The EULA is for real paying customers. People who "fix" the software are far more anonymous than others who bought a license

don't get me wrong; it DOES piss me off just knowing that all software makers want to know everything about everybody

here's an alarming artcle about it (from 2014):

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/antivirus-tracking-youd-surprised-sends/

[steven36]

opt out for ESET Live Grid helps a lot.

ESET collects personal information for the purposes of personal communication with you in order to respond to your questions, and fulfill your requests. Such information may include, among other information, your name, address, e-mail address and telephone number. These data will be used in the events you have so consented, to contact you for direct marketing purposes via mail, e-mail or phone to conduct market research, and to inform you of and get your feedback on upcoming products, services and/or promotions. If you send us product orders, service requirements or if you send any material to the Site(s), we might have to contact you in order to gain additional information necessary for processing or fulfillment of your orders and/or requirements. Your Personal Information will not be revealed to any third parties without your prior consent, unless required otherwise by legal regulations, or cases, when it is necessary for proceeding of your order, fulfilling of your request, or providing interactive customer service and ESET’s products and services improvement. At the same time you are granting ESET the right to provide the information you submitted to ESET for above purposes to the partners cooperating with ESET.

email, name etc. are needed for informing you when your paid license is ending.

The EULA is for real paying customers. People who "fix" the software are far more anonymous than others who bought a license

don't get me wrong; it DOES piss me off just knowing that all software makers want to know everything about everybody

here's an alarming artcle about it (from 2014):

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/antivirus-tracking-youd-surprised-sends/

There's whole another section for people who fix there software then you break toss . You think there not going collect you're just because you pirate it? :lol: of course they still do. That's what antivirus do they collect data from you're computer that's how they keep you protected

I never needed to pirate NOD though there's ways to get around it . I dont break toss of no software when its not needed. Only time I ever fixed NOD was purely for testing purposes to help others fix it. :P

If I update to v9 I may need to pirate if workarounds cease to exist. I may just stay with v8 tell I find something else that interest me . I used Avast before for years with no problems Except for too many false positives . I even beta tested for them for a bit , not recommended though in real time ;) My Mom uses Avast , My Nephew and also I still have Avast on my other windows 7 PC . I trust them as much as I do ESET. Its up to you as a person to use something you trust for yourself .

[Skunk1966]

There's whole another section for people who fix there software then you break toss . You think there not going collect you're just because you pirate it? :lol: of course they still do. That's what antivirus do they collect data from you're computer that's how they keep you protected

I don't claim that nothing's being collected; it's just not as much as when you have a legit license

[steven36]

There's whole another section for people who fix there software then you break toss . You think there not going collect you're just because you pirate it? :lol: of course they still do. That's what antivirus do they collect data from you're computer that's how they keep you protected

I don't claim that nothing's being collected; it's just not as much as when you have a legit license

I get leagl keys thorough giveaways with fake info all the time .still I dont pirate it they gave me the keys i use . But regardless if you pirate it are not, they collect data on your ip and stuff they log you. Also then you have over you're head they could get you for it. I dont like pirating apps that you have to use online 24/7 .

[Skunk1966]

There's whole another section for people who fix there software then you break toss . You think there not going collect you're just because you pirate it? :lol: of course they still do. That's what antivirus do they collect data from you're computer that's how they keep you protected

I don't claim that nothing's being collected; it's just not as much as when you have a legit license

I get leagl keys thorough giveaways with fake info all the time .still I dont pirate it they gave me the keys i use . But regardless if you pirate it are not, they collect data on your ip and stuff they log you. Also then you have over you're head they could get you for it. I dont like pirating apps that you have to use online 24/7 .

correct. All I'm saying is they can collect lots of stuff BUT if you use a fake name, fix, crack or patch + you don't use your real name as computername they don't know who you really are because they don't have your credentials.

Also if you don't participate in Live Grid (ESET) they don't collect as much data as they'd prefer.

I know AV needs to collect data to keep you safe but all the rest software vendors want to collect is pure BS and shouldn't be allowed without the user's consent

[steven36]

There's whole another section for people who fix there software then you break toss . You think there not going collect you're just because you pirate it? :lol: of course they still do. That's what antivirus do they collect data from you're computer that's how they keep you protected

I don't claim that nothing's being collected; it's just not as much as when you have a legit license

I get leagl keys thorough giveaways with fake info all the time .still I dont pirate it they gave me the keys i use . But regardless if you pirate it are not, they collect data on your ip and stuff they log you. Also then you have over you're head they could get you for it. I dont like pirating apps that you have to use online 24/7 .

correct. All I'm saying is they can collect lots of stuff BUT if you use a fake name, fix, crack or patch + you don't use your real name as computername they don't know who you really are because they don't have your credentials.

Also if you don't participate in Live Grid (ESET) they don't collect as much data as they'd prefer.

I know AV needs to collect data to keep you safe but all the rest software vendors want to collect is pure BS and shouldn't be allowed without the user's consent

Avast has and option to opt of most of it like sternog told everyone I doubt AVG even has this just like they have no exclude in there free version but Avast dose. And the bottom line back in the early 2000s I got infected using AVG before so I dont trust them.

[Holmes]

It says in each eula they may meaning not guaranteed. Most of it is for advertising id and to improve there products. I used to use avast I loved it I switched to eset to try out advanced memory scanner. By unchecking the options live grid your susceptable to additional infection and avast community same. I could be being to optimistic here I try to be positive I care about my privacy I do I have just heard I told you so way to many times and try to make predictions based on positivity not negativity. As for using fake username and password and disposable e-mail address you can they got your ip address and can pinpoint your location and unless your very good like a friend of mine you cant spoof your ip address. I have a plan to change to avast I havent done it yet avast is one of the best they have a windows kernel expert (rootkits are the most dangerous infection you can get and avast depending on what type of rootkit it is has you protected) working for them and his anti-rootkit (anomaly based) technology integrated gmer.

[steven36]

As for using fake username and password and disposable e-mail address you can they got your ip address and can pinpoint your location and unless your very good like a friend of mine you cant spoof your ip

I do spoof ip most all the time for over 4 years. I also have a real email for stuff a disposable email that dont work for that i never have signed into with my real ip or info . Also i use disposable email and fake info when getting most things . But still even if you spoof you're ip that dont help very much when you have a product that's online 24/7 sooner or latter you must reboot and you're back to using you're real ip tell you turn on you're vpn . So there's no 100% sure way with and antivirus that they dont get you're ip like it is with other programs . But remember a Ip is not a person no way :)

[Holmes]

I wasnt talking about using a vpn (were you talkking about a vpn). Im talking about actually spoofing it hacking your network to send a different ip address like a hacker hacks in a computer and uses it like a deaddrop. You can use a vpn and it is a good way to not reveal your original ip address have you seen the movie untraceable the fbi tried tracing his ip address and it went all over the place bouncing off different states and countries (he has his own botnet). I know hollywood doesnt really portray computer hacking as realistically as most people would like it that doesnt doesnt take away from the entertainment. As for using a vpn I used to pay for cyberghost I think Im going to use the free cyberghost now. Which vpn do you use.