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Avast SafeZone removal

Does anyone know how to remove Avast SafeZone browser that has just appeared on my laptop. I've done a quick google seach and others want to remove it, but how? I'm using vista

Comments

  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    I've seen a couple of places that suggest it's due to the Avast Webrep plugin. This post contains a way of getting rid of it, although having not had the problem myself I can't say whether it will work or not.

    http://www.assaultweb.net/forums/showpost.php?p=590642&postcount=7
  • System
    System Posts: 178,365 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 20 October 2014 at 8:59AM
    Thanks, I'll go and look and report back.

    Due to a problem when I was on the ipad forum, they banned my ip address for spamming yet I don't know what that is and your link tells me that I am not allowed in.
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • dogmaryxx
    dogmaryxx Posts: 2,446 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Is it not possible to change Avast components through your control panel?

    Control panel
    add/remove programs
    Avast
    Change
    untick Safe zone

    12b-en_a9p_install_configuration.png
  • System
    System Posts: 178,365 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 20 October 2014 at 5:06PM
    I will go and look. I've removed the icon from start-up page.

    PS. Oh my goodness. Never before would I have dared to go there but I have and removed that section. Thanks very much.
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • dogmaryxx
    dogmaryxx Posts: 2,446 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    If you wish to reverse the setting at any time just repeat above and tick box.I don't have the Pro version of Avast but Safe Zone appears to be a useful tool for banking purposes etc.
    avast! SafeZone
    The avast! SafeZone is an additional security feature in avast! Pro Antivirus, avast! Internet Security and avast! Premier, which allows you to browse the web in a private, secure environment, invisible to the rest of your system. For example, if you do your banking or shopping online, or other security-sensitive transactions, you can be sure that your personal data cannot be monitored by spyware or key-logging software. If you go to a banking site which is recognized by avast!, you will be automatically prompted to use the SafeZone browser for your online transactions. Unlike the avast! Sandbox, which is intended to keep everything contained inside so that it cannot harm the rest of your system, the avast! SafeZone is designed to keep everything else out.

    To open the secure SafeZone desktop manually, just go to the "Tools" tab, select "SafeZone" and then click the "Switch to SafeZone" button.

    When you switch to SafeZone, the SafeZone web browser will start automatically. The SafeZone browser is a special browser without any additional components such as "plug-ins" which are often used to distribute spyware.

    When you are done, click on the Start menu and select “Turn Off” to close the browser and return to your normal desktop. Your browser settings and any files that you have downloaded will be saved automatically and will be there the next time you open it. If you don't want anything to be saved, click the "Reset SafeZone" button and everything will be deleted. The contents of the SafeZone, including all browser settings, will be reset to their original state.

    Alternatively, you can just click the “switch back” button on the taskbar (next to the clock) which will return you to your normal desktop without terminating your web browser, so you can return to it later.

    SafeZone also allows you to create a list of sites that should also be opened in SafeZone. Then, if you are in your regular browser and go to your favorite banking site, it will be automatically opened in the SafeZone.

    SafeZone parameters
    On this screen, several different parameters can be set for the SafeZone. This is accessed by going into the Settings, then Tools, and then selecting the "Customize" option for the SafeZone.

    Several ease-of-use parameters can be set here, including a shortcut for launching SafeZone and a shortcut for switching between SafeZone and your regular desktop. You can also allow clipboard sharing between the desktops and enable a fading effect so it is more obvious when the SafeZone desktop is being used.

    Protect against DNS based attacks - when you type a web address, it is changed to an IP address and if this option is selected, this DNS translation is done by our DNS servers and not by Windows. This avoids the fake translations which can be done by certain types of malware.

    Protect against keyloggers - If this is selected, when you are typing in SafeZone, your keystrokes will sent directly from the keyboard to the SafeZone. In this way, any hidden keyloggers will not be able to monitor those keystrokes, since they are not shared with Windows applications.

    By clicking the "Reset SafeZone" button, all contents of the SafeZone will be permanently deleted.




    .
  • System
    System Posts: 178,365 Community Admin
    10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Re your/the last post. I did note the safe banking. However I'm one of god's creatures that still prefers the old fashioned way, and yes, having made a note (in my little book for future reference) of how we executed this change, thought it would be a re-run to regain it.
    This is a system account and does not represent a real person. To contact the Forum Team email forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com
  • Avast SafeZone Browser is one of the components that gets automatically installed on your Windows computer without notifying you when you install the Avast free antivirus solution. But don't worry, there is no need to remove complete Avast Antivirus software from your PC in order to remove Avast Safezone Browser only.

    I followed these steps and removed Avast SafeZone Browser successfully:
    • Open “Control Panel” and select “Uninstall a Program” option link.
    • Find “Avast Free Antivirus” or “Avast Premier” from the list and right click on it then select “Change” option.
    • Again you have to select “Change” option.
    • Uncheck the “Safezone Browser” option.
    • Finally, click on "Change” button.
    • Once the changes are done, “The Product was updated successfully” message will appear on the screen. That’s it!

    Thanks
    I hope it will help you !!
  • ih8stress
    ih8stress Posts: 2,041 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Avast has decided to automatically install the Safezone browser on my desktop today, so of course I came straight here to see what I should do about it, and found this thread.

    Dogmary, thank you for the snapshot - I find these really useful for non-techies like me. :) I think you may have the paid version though as my set-up is slightly different.

    Mine shows 4 extra boxes, currently ticked:

    Cleanup
    Desktop gadget
    Home Network Security
    Passwords

    I have unticked the Safezone Browser box - is it safe to leave the ones mentioned above ticked, or do I need to remove any/all of them too?

    DCM, didn't think I would be back again this soon, ha ha!
  • ih8stress
    ih8stress Posts: 2,041 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    Right, have looked on google and felt it best that I should untick the following ones:

    Safezone Browser
    SecureLine
    Desktop gadget
    Home Network Security
    Passwords

    I have left the following ones ticked as components okay to install:

    File Shield
    Mail Shield
    Web Shield
    Browser Protection
    Software Updater
    Cleanup
    Rescue Disk
    Browser Cleanup

    Can someone PLEASE confirm the above are correct before I click on 'Change'

    Many thanks :)
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