Windows 10: Antivirus keeping wanting to send same file

Windows Antivirus keeps wanting to send the following file for review: C:\Users\user1\AppData\Local\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\htczii35.default-release\safebrowsing\google4 Can't find anything by searching. Anyone else seen this or know what it's about? Win 10 V20H2 Thanks for any help.

:)

 

Avira Antivirus

Windows cannot send updates due to Avira Antivirus (not Aviva) - they suggest uninstalling Avira but it is not listed and I am not aware that I ever downloaded it. Presume its some sort of malware - any suggestions please if anyone has had the same problem
- thank you

Kath Oliver

 

How do I stop sending antivirus samples to Microsoft?

Thanks for the detailed response, Rob.

I appreciate that you put a lot of effort into your reply, but it doesn't actually answer any questions and is largely unhelpful. This might be better suited on a question like, "Is it worth disabling automated sending of antivirus samples?".

To answer your question, there are a few reasons.

• I like to keep my laptop running as lean as possible. I accept this is a fairly lightweight process, but I don't need it, so I don't want it running.
• As I mentioned this running on a laptop. Battery and data is often limited, and I don't want to be spending that on these kinds of processes.
• Perhaps most importantly, privacy. These are my files, on my computer, and read by a human or not, I don't want them being sent off, certainly without my permission.

As to why this is happening, I suspect it's based on the volume of new or deleted files on your computer. As a freelancing software developer I work on a lot of projects, and create a lot of builds, and this seems to be when they popup the most. This compounds
on the reasons I don't want this happening as their files I've created so I know they're not malicious, and my projects are often under NDA.

Now, debating the reasons I don't want this happening goes beyond the scope of this post (actually asking for them probably goes beyond this post). This post is simply about how to stop sending antivirus samples to Microsoft.

Cheers,

Daniel

 

Good Antivirus + Firewall

I would never put anything Norton on my computer.

Nod32 is arguably the best antivirus. AVG is likely not as good, but it's free and at least pretty good.

Firewalls, I'd put Comodo and whatever "Tiny Personal Firewall" is named nowadays on your short list. I think Kerio might have sold it now and it's named something else. Otherwise, just put Comodo on your short list. I think the current version's ease of use has taken a step backwards, seems a bit counter-intuitive when trying to do certain things with it, but overall it does a good job and the price is right.