We are a licensed user of XLS Padlock version 2.0. Our .exe files, after compiling with Padlock, cause Avast Anti-Virus to report our .exe file as a false positive virus with the name DS#EvoGen||algo. This is a real problem as we cannot send out software that will cause various end users’ virus scan programs to report our product as being infected. We are making calls to the XLSpadlockVBA feature. Have others observed this issue and what does tech support offer as an alternative approach to coding our VBA to avoid this problem?
EXE causes AVAST virus to report False Positive
- Thread starter rtell
- Start date
I have no idea about AVG. We used to use AVG but changed to AVAST after AVG had their problem with one of their updates. Nonetheless, it would not surprise me that a number of anti-virus programs may end up complaining. However, I have some new news that may be helpful.
My post of yesterday was after spending two days fretting with this problem. Later yesterday, after my post, we tried something that makes no sense to us but appears to have solved the problem. During all of our testing, we had never attached an icon file (.ico) as provided for on the Customize exe tab of XLSPadlock. Just for grins, figuring that it would still fail the virus scan, we assigned the icon for the application that we had built some time earlier. Amazingly, after compilation, it sailed through the virus scan perfectly. We were careful to remove the previously identified “false positives” from the AVAST quarantine chest so that AVAST and even changed the name of the file in XLSPadlock before compiling. We carried out exhaustive testing after that to see if it had something to do with the information on the “Customize exe version” form (see button for this near the bottom of the Customize EXE tab) in XLSPadlock also. What we ultimately found was that it is all dependent on whether we use our icon or not. Does not matter what is put on the “Customize exe version” form. If we attach the icon, AVAST never sees a problem! Go figure. Maybe the GDG Software folks can give us some idea of what might be happening, I hope, so we can, possibly, create some better VBA code in our Excel workbook to handle this issue.
Having said all this, I offer it only as something that we found. It may not be relevant to the issue with AVG.
My post of yesterday was after spending two days fretting with this problem. Later yesterday, after my post, we tried something that makes no sense to us but appears to have solved the problem. During all of our testing, we had never attached an icon file (.ico) as provided for on the Customize exe tab of XLSPadlock. Just for grins, figuring that it would still fail the virus scan, we assigned the icon for the application that we had built some time earlier. Amazingly, after compilation, it sailed through the virus scan perfectly. We were careful to remove the previously identified “false positives” from the AVAST quarantine chest so that AVAST and even changed the name of the file in XLSPadlock before compiling. We carried out exhaustive testing after that to see if it had something to do with the information on the “Customize exe version” form (see button for this near the bottom of the Customize EXE tab) in XLSPadlock also. What we ultimately found was that it is all dependent on whether we use our icon or not. Does not matter what is put on the “Customize exe version” form. If we attach the icon, AVAST never sees a problem! Go figure. Maybe the GDG Software folks can give us some idea of what might be happening, I hope, so we can, possibly, create some better VBA code in our Excel workbook to handle this issue.
Having said all this, I offer it only as something that we found. It may not be relevant to the issue with AVG.
Make sure you disable your antivirus while creating the EXE file, otherwise it can trigger false positives.
Could you please upload your respective EXE files to https://www.virustotal.com
And then post the URL to results in this topic? Then we’ll report these false positives to AVAST/AVG immediately.
You can also do these reports yourself:
If you want a discount for buying a certificate from them, you can contact us by PM.
Anyway, XLS Padlock doesn’t generate virus programs, however, it uses software protection to prevent malicious users to crack your protected workbook. Unfortunately, some antivirus programs may sometimes consider protected
software as possible virus threats.
In that case, reporting the false positive to the antivirus company or code signing solves the problem.
Could you please upload your respective EXE files to https://www.virustotal.com
And then post the URL to results in this topic? Then we’ll report these false positives to AVAST/AVG immediately.
You can also do these reports yourself:
- for AVAST, use this form:
http://www.avast.com/en-us/contact-us.php?subject=VIRUS-FILE - for AVG, this one:
http://www.avg.com/submit-sample
To prevent false positives in your program, you should code sign the EXE file
We have added the option to XLS Padlock, so signing an EXE file is easy. But you need to buy a code signing certificate. You can get one for instance at http://codesigning.ksoftware.net/If you want a discount for buying a certificate from them, you can contact us by PM.
Anyway, XLS Padlock doesn’t generate virus programs, however, it uses software protection to prevent malicious users to crack your protected workbook. Unfortunately, some antivirus programs may sometimes consider protected
software as possible virus threats.
In that case, reporting the false positive to the antivirus company or code signing solves the problem.
Sure, it’s a bit surprising but it’s a good proof that these false positives are errors from the antivirus program. Adding a splash screen has increased the size of your EXE file, and it’s probably enough for the false positive to be shut down…