Tag Archive for: freeze

Avira Antivirus Is Causing Windows PCs To Run So Hard They Freeze Up, Fix Available


One of the telltale signs that your PC has become ill with a virus is an unexpected slowdown in performance. Various forms of malware can sometimes feast on your system’s resources, whether it’s a hidden cryptocurrency miner, keylogger, or something else. Ironically, a recent update to Avira’s antivirus software is having the same effect on system PCs, with users reporting system freezes in Windows.

The issue came to light this week in a post on Reddit. A user who goes by “kiiniiwiinii” reported that their PC had suddenly begun freezing up, which prompted them to start disabling background apps one by one, until only Avira remained running.

“Two other people I know had the same issue (both have Avira). Fixed it by going into safe startup and uninstalling Aviera. This along with the game booster (that we didn’t enable) causing lag (took forever to figure out the cause) and the horrible support, I will be cancelling my subscription and keeping Avira uninstalled,” the user wrote.

Several others chimed in to the Reddit thread and said they too were experiencing the same performance hiccup. One user said they noticed the apparent glitch was causing Avira to utilize 100% of their processor and memory resources. Others reported seeing the same issue on dozens of client PCs. So, what gives?

Avira’s parent company, Gen Digital, confirmed the issue in a statement to Heise.de. According to Gen Digital, a bug in Avira’s firewall was causing the issue “under a certain condition.” The company also said that the issue has been resolved via a new software update.


“We are aware that a recent update from Avira has caused problems for some Windows 10 and Windows 11 users. These were automatically resolved by an update released on Monday, December 11th [at] 11:30 a.m. (CET). In the unlikely event that the update has not reached all computers, users can contact the Avira support team who will be happy to help them,” Gen Digital said.

Interestingly, Gen Digital also said that if the update does not arrive for some reason,…

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Computer security experts offer advice to freeze out risk of thermal attacks


Computer security experts offer advice to freeze out risk of thermal attacks
Thermal camera. Credit: University of Glasgow

A team of computer security experts have developed a set of recommendations to help defend against “thermal attacks” which can steal personal information.

Thermal attacks use heat-sensitive cameras to read the traces of fingerprints left on surfaces like smartphone screens, computer keyboards and PIN pads.

Hackers can use the relative intensity of heat traces across recently-touched surfaces to reconstruct users’ passwords.

Last year, Dr. Mohamed Khamis and colleagues from the University of Glasgow set out to demonstrate how easily thermal images could be used to crack passwords.

The team developed ThermoSecure, a system which used AI to scan heat-trace images and correctly guess passwords in seconds, alerting many to the threat of thermal attacks.

Now, Dr. Khamis and colleagues have put together the first comprehensive review of existing computer security strategies, and surveyed users on their preferences on how thermal attacks can be prevented at public payment devices like ATMs or transport ticket dispensers.

Credit: University of Glasgow

Their research, set to be presented as a paper at the USENIX Security Symposium conference in Anaheim, California, on Friday 11 August, also includes advice to manufacturers on how their devices could be made more secure. USENIX Security is widely recognized as one of the leading conferences in the fields of computer security and cybersecurity.

The team identified 15 different approaches described in previous papers on computer security which could reduce the risk of thermal attacks.

Those included ways to reduce the transfer of heat from users’ hands, by wearing gloves or rubber thimbles, or changing the temperature of hands by touching something cold before typing.

Approaches suggested in the literature also included pressing hands against surfaces or breathing on them to obscure their fingerprint heat once they had…

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Home Secy tells LS: Can’t give J&K telecom freeze details, cites security


Written by Liz Mathew
| New Delhi |

Updated: November 26, 2020 6:58:25 am


Jammu and kashmir internet, 4g internet jammu and kashmir, ganderbal, udhampur, security threat J&K, shaleen kabra, indian express,The IT panel has witnessed a tussle between the ruling and Opposition parties over the agenda of telecom and Internet services in J&K

Citing “the security scenario”, the Ministry of Home Affairs has informed Lok Sabha that it will not be able to disclose information relating to suspension of telecom and Internet services in Jammu & Kashmir.

In a letter Wednesday to Lok Sabha Secretary General Snehlata Shrivastava, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said, “considering the security scenario in UT of Jammu & Kashmir, disclosure of information relating to suspension of telecom services would be prejudicial to the safety or interest of the state”.

He also pointed out that “the matter related to shutdown of Internet in J&K… is also sub-judice” in the Supreme Court.

Citing Rule 270 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, he said the “Government may decline to produce a document on the ground that its disclosure would be prejudicial to the safety or interest of the state”.

The Standing Committee on Information Technology, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, had sought the presence of MHA representatives for a briefing Wednesday on ‘Suspension of Telecom Services/Internet and its Impact’.

Although Additional Secretary Govind Mohan appeared before the panel, sources said he declined to provide details on the Internet shutdown. When he was asked about the communication blockade in other states, the official, it is learned, said law and order is a state subject.

In his letter, Bhalla pointed out that the Union Home Secretary or the Secretary in charge of the Home Department can issue direction for suspension of telecom services. “It has been verified from the Lok Sabha Secretariat that the Committee proposes to discuss mainly the suspension of telecom services in J&K… The MHA has already stated its position on the issue and issues related to the subject before the Committee in its last meeting dated 16th October, 2020 and has nothing…

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