Suggestions for new anti-virus software; my Avast causing problems

[arono]

Hi,
In a previous communication with Larry Mc. regarding my problems with Avast anti-virus software (it thinks that IWBasic-created EXE's are malicious software), my license is about to expire with them and I wanted to confirm that Avast was the only AV software that caused this error. 

Is this correct?

Thanks

[GWS]

Hi Arono,

I usually work with CBasic, but I had the same problem with Norton AV - it thought every program I compiled was a threat - and promptly deleted it ! .. 

It was something they called their Sonar detection system.  I complained about it, but their customer replies were automated and despite supplying them with lots of code and error messages, I got nowhere.

So I swapped to McAfee AV and have had no problems since.

Best wishes,

Graham

[billhsln]

I use ESET NOD32 and have never had it come back with one of my programs being a virus.  I had a friend that a program I wrote for her did come up as a Virus.  I made it a Project and added the Resource information and it compiled fine and was no longer a virus to her machine.

Bill

[Egil]

I have had the same problems with Avast, McAfee and F-Secure. F-Secure even deleted several programs automaticly, whithout giving any notice!
Emails were sent to all three companies about the problem, but none of them ever responded.

When I changed to the free Microsoft Security Essentials, and all these problems dissapeared.
In addition I run Malwarebytes every second week, just in case....


Egil

[Andy]

I have had several problems in the past, not really with Avast, but other A/V's.

I used a site called VirusTotal to see what A/V's thought of my exe files, typically out of around 70, 10 to 15 would report them as virus.

This is nonsense as I wrote the code, I know what it does, and I would never write a virus!

I also know my PC is completely clean, and I scan it on a regular basis.

I found that building an exe as a project (rather than a single exe) reduced the false positive reports, and that adding in some details such as author name, exe name, file name / version also helped reduce the false positives.

It didn't completely clear all of them, and I have had to repeatedly submit the exe files one by one to the A/V companies before they clear it.

This is extremely time consuming, and if you change the exe even slightly, it can get flagged up again as a false positive.

You can add a manifest file for the exe, and get it digitally signed, but signing costs money, something
I'm not prepared to do.

So yes, it's frustrating - and I have never found an answer to it.

Andy.

[arono]

Thanks all for your suggestions.  I may just stick with Avast since I know how to get around the malicious software problem.  I do my development in a folder of its own and designate that folder as an exception in Avast.  Not the best solution but it has worked so far.

[Bruce Peaslee]

Malwarebytes Premium is my suggestion.

[Juhl]

I've found eset to be pretty good. It seems to catch a lot of stuff.