'Potentially Unwanted app found' messages

JohnB47

The above message has been appearing when I log on, for a few weeks now. Win 10. When I look at settings, there's only a message suggesting that I set up Onedrive. It does list some apps that have been blocked in the past - low importance, but doesn't point out what app it says is the current problem. How can I get rid of this repeated message, or find out what it actually means - it never used to happen. I use only Windows Defender. Should I try a separate program, if only once? Thanks.

Newcad

PUA/PUP notices are not vitally important.

The word to concentrate on is "Potentially".

In other words 'In our opinion we think that you might not want that app/programme'.

Of course that's just their opinion and you might want it.

Defender can be a bit twitchy about PUA/PUPs at times and has been known to flag good apps used by millions as being PUA/PUP.

It usually gets corrected after a few weeks and stops doing it.

(Would I be right thinking this started for you on the 12th/13th December?)

It's a bit odd that it isn't saying just what it thinks may be a PUA but that may just be another sign that it's mistaken.

I'd try going to settings>update and security and doing a 'check for updates' to make sure your Defender definitions are up to date.

On your other question, I would download Malwarebytes Free edition (you usually get a 14 day trial of Pro but can just turn the trial off) and run a scan with that once a week or so for a second opinion.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download

Or pay for Malwarebytes Pro, unlike other AVs it is designed to run alongside Defender without clashing, giving you an extra layer of protection

JohnB47

Thanks for that. Not sure when it actually started, not more than a month age I'm sure. Is the date you mentioned  significant? I'll try a malware bytes trial.

flaneurs_lobster

JohnB47 said:

Thanks for that. Not sure when it actually started, not more than a month age I'm sure. Is the date you mentioned  significant? I'll try a malware bytes trial.

12/12 was the release date for the last Windows update.

Just in case you bank with Natwest/RBS, they offer (very quietly) a free subscription to Malwarebytes Pro to their customers.

JohnB47

Thanks but no, not my Bank. I might ask them if they do that though.

Something else I'm noticing now, an even more recent change, is that when I open Chrome (from complete laptop shutdown) the tabs from the last session all pop up but the content on each is absent. I try refreshing each tab but still nothing (the refresh gives every indication that it has worked). Then if I go to the three little dots and choose exit, right at the bottom of the list under settings, then open again all is well.

This started a few days ago and at that time I saw that chrome appearance had changed.

Newcad

As said above 12th December was the Windows 'Patch Tuesday' updates, which many people get installed automatically the day after release.

I don't use Chrome, but browsers change all the time.

Chrome and Firefox (and Edge) change at least monthly, and some of the updates can be glitchy. Again those glitches usually get corrected quickly.

It sounds like yours is loading the previously open tabs, but for some reason not fully loading, or at least not displaying the content. Many things could cause that, even just a programmer mistyping a variable name could do it.
(On occasion my Firefox will display a page's HTML code rather than parsing that code to show text and images, a close and reopen usually sorts it out).

I find it best to regard any browser as a work in constant progress, so odd things can happen in them at any time.

I would definitely download Malwarebytes and run a scan if you haven't already, just to be doubly sure there isn't something nasty lurking on your machine.

Just to ask, are you using any cleaning apps, software/driver updaters, anti-spywares, anything like that?
Many of those will often be flagged up as PUAs.

JohnB47

Thanks for the advice. I'll download Malwarebytes trial and run that. No I'm not running anything cleaning apps - just Defender. Thanks again all.