Hi Folks
In the last couple of days my AV software has been coming up with this message on some of the regular websites that I visit (BBC for example). It happens with both Chrome and Edge. It’s great that it’s blocked whatever this is, but it doesn’t make clear what I need to do to ‘clear’ it. It suggests a scan but that doesn’t seem to find anything nor clear it up. Any ideas?
Your AV software recognised a possible threat and stopped you from visiting that site. There isn’t anything you can do to clear it because the (perceived) threat is on the website you’re visiting and not on your computer. I don’t see any sign that any harm has been done, or that there’s any further action you should take.
I tried loading the URL in the screenshot, and I got an “Access Denied” response. It looks as though it was a configuration file of some kind, one not designed to be viewed directly. The alert may be a false positive i.e. your AV program marking as suspicious something that’s actually innocent.
You mention the BBC. I visit their news site most days and have never seen anything that looks like a threat. Their site appears well run and it’s unlikely they would have any potentially dangerous content. If you don’t mind posting the URL of the page that triggered that alert, I’d be happy to take a closer look.
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Thanks, Corry. It felt like it was every time I clicked on a link on either the BBC News or Sport site, but going back to try to get it to happen again has ensured that it doesn’t come up. If I manage to get it again, I’ll re-post.
I found a report of similar behaviour on the AVG forum and have added my bit to that thread. There’s no ‘solution’ other than AVG promising to look at it.
Out of interest where are you, inside or outside the UK?
I suspect it’s a false positive. That domain is AWS DNS provided. I wonder if it’s to do with advertising if outside the UK, it appears it might be some sort of web browser extension.
Have you got extensions loaded into your browser that you know about? It might be worth checking you have no extensions that you don’t know why they are there.
In the UK, but using AVG’s VPN. This does seem to impact the BBC site in a couple of ways - it puts a large grey area under the menu and above the first stories and also doesn’t allow me to watch videos (not available in your location).
There were a couple of extensions in Edge - I’ve now turned them off. Similarly in Chrome.
And where does the VPN connect to the internet? If on addresses not associated with the UK you are outside the UK as far as geolocation server software is concerned.
Yes good to turn off extensions you don’t know about, and then delete if nothing untoward happens.
I don’t know. How can I find that out? The VPN software suggest my location is set as London (although I’m in the Midlands).
If you are getting messages that you don’t have the rights to watch videos from the BBC then highly likely your are entering the internet outside UK registered addresses irrespective of what your VPN software is saying. Is there a reason you are using VPN software? They kind of in many ways a thing of the past now with modern web and internet technology such as zero trust. They are useful if you are operating in a non trusted environment such as on a public free wifi hotspot… but other than that I think they are a hindrance - unless trying to evade geolocation… which of course is unlawful.
Whether you are in Birmingham or London is mostly irrelevant as far as the internet and geolocation is concerned.
I’m assuming the AVG VPN software isn’t working very well. Turn it off and the videos work properly. I’ve been planning to ditch AVG when it comes up for renewal and go with one of the free providers (Which recommend Bitdefender for instance).
Yes I would choose a recommended one from say someone like Which … but only use if you are out and about using an untrusted wifi hotspot. If you can I would say it’s better to use 4G or 5G when out and about if you can these days, and you won’t need your VPN.
Sorry, that’s for the usual antivirus stuff rather than VPN. I’m happy to leave the VPN off.
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