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Exceptions not working

Hi,

I am testing Bitdefender right now and tried to add an exception so the real-time scan doesn't scan everything a certain process downloads.

In my case, it was Guildwars 2 client. It has to download a lot of stuff and Bitdefender is using 30% of CPU all the time. so I tried to add an exception so it doesn't scan anymore if the GW2 client is downloading.


What I did:

  • Add .exe file to exceptions
  • Add a folder in program files for exceptions

However every time I start the client again and it starts downloading, also Bitdefender begins working and slowing down the download/installation process...

So how can I make Bitdefender actually respect the exceptions I specified?

Comments

  • Hello @Siverion,

    Based on your description of the situation encountered, I would recommend contacting the Technical Support Teams, as more information might be required to troubleshoot this. You can get in touch with our engineers by choosing one of the contact methods available here:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/help/

    Let us know how it goes.

    Regards

    Premium Security & Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools user

  • Exceptions still not working (in "Manage exceptions"). I can confirm that exceptions for websites and cloud drive do not work. It is very annoying when BitDefender tries to scan the entire disc after logging in to pCloud (xx TiB a milions of files all over slow internet connection).

    Manage exceptions -> Add an exceptions -> Select This PC \ P: -> check Antivirus and Online threat -> Save

    Build: 27.0.30.136

  • I concur. Bitdefender DOES NOT respect my choices for exceptions. In fact, some options, such as "Advanced Threat Defense" are grayed out.

    I do not care if Bitdefender thinks creating an exception for a thumb drive or mapped volume is unwise. It's MY computer, not Bitdefender's.

    We DEMAND the ability to FULLY except any volume, folder or file on OUR computers, and it's really none of Bitdefender's business to dictate otherwise.

    Bitdefender is NOT AUTHORIZED to circumvent our choices, much less prevent us from creating a full exception in the first place!

    For example, let's see how Norton handles it: "You can assign exclusions to local drives, folders, groups of files, single files, or network drives." Norton DOES NOT gray out certain elements of an exclusion. They allow users to FULLY exclude a thumb drive, external HDD/SSD, letter-mapped mounted volume, or any other kind of drive,

  • garioch7
    garioch7 Defender of the month ✭✭✭✭✭

    @IT_Writer ,

    Welcome to the Bitdefender Forums. This issue has intermittently plagued Bitdefender. There are recent reports of this issue again which @camarie has very recently requested be investigated.

    We should get an update this coming week based on how efficient @camarie usually is.

    Thank you for reporting the issue as well. Have a great day.

    Regards,

    Phil

    Former Bleeping Computer Malware Response Instructor

  • Thank you, Phil.

    As you can see by my swift response, it's an important issue.

    I'm quite certain many security-conscience customers would rather their encrypted volumes containing password stores, personal and professional financial information and customer files not be scanned by Bitdefender, regardless of assurances they won't "peek."

    Regardless of whether the unwanted intrusion of privacy is intentional or inadvertent, the fact remains Bitdefender's interface lacks the controls necessary to completely and permanently block it from all scanning of a drive, file or folder. This situation violates the Zero Trust Model key to providing optimum security and privacy.

    Thank you for your attention to this matter.

  • garioch7
    garioch7 Defender of the month ✭✭✭✭✭

    @IT_Writer ,

    I am not an employee of Bitdefender. By design, "Exceptions" are supposed to work. I have drives, files, and folders successfully exempted on my two computers. In all, I have about 15 to 20 exceptions.

    All security vendors encounter issues with their software not working as intended on the millions of different and unique computer platforms that are in use. QA cannot test every possible configuration or predict how OS updates and other 3rd party software might impact the performance of their products.

    @Alexandru_BD , our Forum Administrator, may be able to assist you further when he returns to work on Monday.

    Have a great day.

    Regards,

    Phil

    Former Bleeping Computer Malware Response Instructor

  • I look forward to his assistance. In the meantime, despite the "millions of different and unique computer platforms that are in use," mine is a fairly generic machine: HP Envy laptop running Windows 10, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD.

  • Flexx
    Flexx DEFENDER OF THE YEAR 2023 / DEFENDER OF THE MONTH ✭✭✭✭✭ mod
    edited April 20

    Until @Alexandru_BD responds, kindly take a look at the information stated below.

    1) Temporarily disable Bitdefender Protection: https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/28557/

    2) Set exclusions in Bitdefender Antivirus: https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/13427/

    3) Set exclusions in Bitdefender Advanced Threat Defense: https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/2393/

    4) Re-enable real-time protection in Bitdefender 

    Regards

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • Hello @IT_Writer,

    I think @garioch7 summarized this very well. Due to a large number of possible system configurations and installed software, determining what might cause an issue with a specific Bitdefender setting/module is not as simple as it sounds. Since each PC has its own peculiarities, a thorough investigation is necessary. I'm aware of the importance of the issue and I totally understand your frustration.

    We are still waiting for news on this matter.

    Thank you for your patience.

    Premium Security & Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools user

  • Exceptions are not working, its a little frustrating, to have an exeption and NEED an exception but have no way around it. Been using Bit Defender for 7 monthts now and though i am not sure if i will renew because it really gets in the way of working when it should not. And its crazy that i would need to shut down the entire protection because you can't figure out how to make the exceptions work like they should…

  • garioch7
    garioch7 Defender of the month ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Ray241 ,

    I am pinging @camarie to provide an update to us, further to his post here:

    Thank you, and have a great day.

    Regards,

    Phil

    Former Bleeping Computer Malware Response Instructor

  • camarie
    camarie Principal Software Developer BD Staff

    Is this about the first post regarding Guild Wars 2?

  • Not for me, i might have ended up in the wrong topic/post , i have an issue where an exclusion that was working a month ago stopped working somewhere in between then and now. Its a website i excluded and now no matter what i do it remains blocked. So i had to resort to a device without bit defender to get to it. So it was more a mention that in general the exlusions don't seem to be excluding ;-) I blame bit defender because it logs the blocking of the website even tough its in the exclussion list. I removed the exclusion added it again, but no go. Restarted the machine in between, but as soon as i go to the url bitdefender blocks it with or without the exclusion.

  • camarie
    camarie Principal Software Developer BD Staff

    @Ray241 Can you post the domain of the website? (Not the entire URL, just the domain).

  • Sure ".iliadboxos.it/" It has been giving me issue's from the start, but exclussions always helped until i needed to go there again today, and i figured the exclusion should always supersede anything else.

  • Flexx
    Flexx DEFENDER OF THE YEAR 2023 / DEFENDER OF THE MONTH ✭✭✭✭✭ mod
    edited April 10

    Domain is blocked by Bitdefender as malware

    https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/42df997e59f870fe34e6361f199c5ea33382814b4f8cc3af0411bf4c27dbfca1?nocache=1

    Regards

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • camarie
    camarie Principal Software Developer BD Staff

    I confirm. Our url status checker replies with … "status_message":"malware"…

  • I gathered that, and what i get from there is a direct link to a shared file, from someone i know. Its great to block suspiscious and known websites thats what i have bitdefender for, but what point is an exclusion list… if it does not exclude. I should be able to decide if its blocked or not if i want to take the risk (and in this case its a direct link to a filedownload from witch i know its safe).

  • camarie
    camarie Principal Software Developer BD Staff

    Understood. It might be a bug, I will not say otherwise. I just opened an issue to investigate why this happens and get back when the testing guys have news.

  • Thank you, its funny to be happy its blocks and annoyed it blocks at the same time ;-)

  • camarie
    camarie Principal Software Developer BD Staff

    Well, either way we will investigate. Thank you for bringing this up !