Cannot create an Antivirus exception

PeterBruderlin
PeterBruderlin
in Protection - Malware/ Firmware/etc.

I have been unable to create an antivirus exception, having looked at instructions on how to do so.

After going through the process of creating an antivirus exception (I have tried both folder and exe), hitting Save, then find that there are no exceptions in the list.

Method: Hit Protection, Antivirus open, Settings, Manage Exceptions, + Add an Exception, click and browse to the folder or exe, hit OK, see the path, Antivirus turned on, and enable On-access scan (and the other two), hit Save. At this point I would expect to see my exception in the list, but the list is empty, it says that I have not set up any antivirus exceptions.

I have to resort to turning off virus scanning to be able to continue my work.

The reason I need the exception is that I am developing a C++ application using Visual Studio, and Bitdefender insists that one of my debug exe's contains a virus (Gen: Variant.Lazy.185809), which I think is a false positive (I am definitely not writing a virus :-)). But every time I build it, Bitdefender quarantine's it, which makes the build fail so I can't continue with running unit tests etc. (I have seen outside Bitdefender's site that people have complained about this same problem, haven't found a solution though.)

I am using Bitdefender Free, Build 26.0.21.78, on Windows. I have started with the free one to see what it is like. (Apparent lack of being able to create an antivirus exception is not giving me a good impression.)

I have searched for similar issues on Bitdefender site and can't seem to find any.

So two issues:

Can't create an exception. Apparently false positive on compiled Visual Studio Debug Executable.

Best Answers

Answers

  • PeterBruderlin
    PeterBruderlin

    I am using the Free version of Bitdefender.

    Summary of the below is that while I can't create an Antivirus exception, I can create an Advanced Threat Defense exception, but it seems to me that this exception is not doing what it is supposed to.

    I did this:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/28557/

    That is, I disabled Antivirus, Advanced Threat Defense and in Online Threat Prevention I turned all to off. (Other areas are not available in Free version.)

    Next I attempted to create an Antivirus exception following this:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/13427/

    As I had explained in the original post, I hit Protection, Antivirus/Open, Settings, Manage Exceptions, (current exception list shows as empty for All, Antivirus, ATD and OTP), hit "+ Add an Exception", added (in my case) the path E:\Dev, with "Antivirus" ticked and "On-access scan", "On-demand scan" and "Embedded scripts" all ticked, hit Save where it now shows me the Antivirus exception list which I would have thought should now contain my new exception, but the list is empty. I can't seem to create an Antivirus exception.

    Next I followed this:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/2393/

    Tried to add an exception to Advanced Threat Defense, which has to be to an executable, had to restore it from the quarantine first.

    Did that and I have an exception there, but not an Antivirus exception. If I try to turn this exception into an Antivirus exception, it disappears. (Recreated the exception.) The exception under Advanced Threat Defense has the path:

    e:\dev\v6809\debug\console6809.exe


    In part 3 you are asking for a "false negative" sample, I think this is actually a "false positive" sample.

    I have done that with the above file. It is a (debug version) command line utility I wrote, built in Visual Studio. With virus scanning now reenabled, Visual Studio now simply cannot write to ...\debug\Console6809.exe. The file doesn't appear in Bitdefender's quarantine either. Something seems to be blocking access to a file of this name. The new exception to this file under Advanced Threat Defense doesn't seem to be doing what it is supposed to ie allowing this file to be created.


    But ultimately this is not giving me what I need. I am compiling multiple C++ executables under the area E:\Dev on my PC.

    Bitdefender seems to be claiming false positives on C++ debug executables (more than one). Not Release executables. So I think it is reacting to something in the debug libraries from Visual Studio.

    I don't want to have to restore every quarantined sample executable, and browse to each such executable and create an exception for each.

    Instead I want Bitdefender to simply stay out of E:\Dev.

    How do I do that?

    Thanks

    Peter Bruderlin

  • PeterBruderlin
    PeterBruderlin

    I also meant to thank you mrmirakhur for a prompt reply.

  • Alexandru_BD
    Alexandru_BD admin

    Hello @PeterBruderlin,

    I think this is not something we'll be able to resolve in the forum.. Our engineers are asking for samples to further advise.

    Kindly submit your findings using the form at the link below:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/29358/

    Afterwards, please create a debug log on your PC using Bitdefender Support Tool:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/1733/

    When you are done, get in touch with our engineers by choosing one of the contact methods available here:

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

    Scroll down to the bottom of the page and choose your desired contact channel.

    Let us know how it goes.

    Regards

    Premium Security & Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools user

  • TonyA3
    TonyA3

    Hi Bitdefender,

    Do you have an advice on how to resolve the issues in general when Bitdefender finds "false positives" when executable is build by Visual Studio?

    I have exactly the same problem when Bitdefender prevents me from building my projects in Visual Studio. More than that. More than that. It worked fine for at least 6 months and suddenly today started to complain about files being build by VC. Even if you just create basic "hello world" project. Also:

    • no I do not have any viruses
    • Regardless, Bitdefender does not find any threats until I try to build project in VC
    • It looks like it is common problem as reports of this issues are discussed for years, but so far I did not find any solutions in terms why it is happening and what to do to stop this issue.
    • Yes, i want to keep using Bitdefender, not to stop it, but I need to be able to build project in VC.

    Can you please advice on generic solution?

    Thank you

    BitdefenderVsVisualStudio.jpg


  • TonyA3
    TonyA3

    Hi,

    I have got the same issue when Bitdefender prevents Visual studio from building the project. It finds virus in it.

    • I was using Bitdefender and VC for at least 6 months but suddenly it started to happen today.
    • No, I do not have any viruses.
    • Regardless, if I run system scan Bitdefender does not find any issues.
    • Bitdefender only finds the virus in the exe file when I try to build it in Visual Studio. It will prevent to build even simple "Hello world" from template.
    • It seems this is a generic issue which was happening for years to some people who was using Visual Studio but so far I could not find simple straight forward answer on how to resolve it.

    Could you please post the advice on how to resolve the issue when Bitdefender starts to complain about executables build by VC.

    Thank you Tony.

    BitdefenderVsVisualStudio.jpg


  • Gjoksi
    Gjoksi Defender of the month mod

    @TonyA3

    Hello.

    First, take screenshot(s) of the issue,

    create a log file on your Windows device using Bitdefender Support Tool, by following these steps:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/1733/

    and

    create a log file on your Windows device using BDsysLog, by following these steps:

    https://www.bitdefender.com/consumer/support/answer/1922/

    Next, contact Bitdefender Consumer Support by e-mail:

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

    with short description of the issue.

    After that, you will get an automated reply by the Bitdefender Customer Care Team, with your ticket number.

    Now, in reply to that automated reply, you can send the screenshot(s) you already took and the log files you already created in the first step.

    Since you are all done, just wait for the support engineers to investigate your issue and find a solution to fix the issue.

    Remember that the screenshot(s) and the log files will help a lot to the support engineers for better and faster investigation on your issue and finding a solution.

    Regards.

  • TonyA3
    TonyA3

    Hi Gjoksi,

    I am wandering are you a real person or AI bot? :)

    I am asking simply because because I have mentioned that this is very common issue with people who are using Visual Studio... so I am after the generic solution which should be known by now as it was reported by many people over at least a few years back.

    Having said that, I still did not come across the solution as yet. Most responses are the same or similar as in this thread: send files, etc... I am sure there is already an explanation how to make Bitdefender and Visual Studio to work together... I do not think developers would stop using Bitdefender...

    Anyway, just just curious if there is an answer here... somewhere there is, it seems i did not come across yet of the thread where someone posted the actual answer on this issue.

    Thanks anyway, if you are not a bot :)

  • Gjoksi
    Gjoksi Defender of the month mod

    @TonyA3

    I'm not a bot or AI robot or whatsoever. I'm a real person.

    At least i tried to help you and you don't need to be sarcastic to me for doing that.

    Anyway, best regards.

  • TonyA3
    TonyA3

    Hi Gjoksi,

    My apologies if you got offended. I was not being sarcastic. I just was not sure, that is all.

    Mostly because this issue with Bitdefender and VS is not new at all, so by now have to be generic solution. Nothing is special about my case.

    Yes, I guess if within a reasonable time I will not find the straight answer in forums, I will have no choice but ask Bitdefender support, I am just surprised why they did not provide the solution.

    Thank you again, have a great day, and ignore me... even if you do not believe that I did not want to offend you :)

  • Alexandru_BD
    Alexandru_BD admin

    Hello @TonyA3,

    This situation should be brought into the attention of our malware researchers for further investigation. My recommendation would also be to get in touch with the Support Teams, as they will be able to advise on the next steps to follow.

    Regards

    Premium Security & Bitdefender Endpoint Security Tools user

  • bkelly
    bkelly

    Visual Studio 2022 was installed today and BitDefender has proclaimed it to be a threat. It claims msbuild.exe is the problem. That is run when a project is built.

    I have read the previous posts where people have not been able to work around this.

    What is the status and when will this be fixed?

  • CloudHiker
    CloudHiker

    This is still happening today. To work around it I did the following:

    1) Add MSBuild.exe as an exception in both Advanced Threat Defense and Online Threat Prevention using the Manage Exceptions interface

    2) Restore the application built executable in the Manage Quarantine interface

    3) Reboot the PC - without this step Visual Studio still failed to build the executable

    I also found running another application which uses HTTPS to connect to our server that the connection was blocked, and I had to ALLOW the application to access the internet from the Bitdefender interface, although the application itself had built and run without issue.

    I find it very disappointing that this issue is still unresolved despite being reported months ago.

  • Flexx
    Flexx mod
    https://community.bitdefender.com/en/discussion/comment/317824#Comment_317824

    Can you upload the file to virustotal.com and share the link here.

    Regards

    Life happens, Coffee helps!

    Show your Attitude, when you reach that Altitude!

    Bitdefender Ultimate Security Plus (user)

  • CloudHiker
    CloudHiker

    I have sent the MSBuild.exe fiel to Bitdefender support. Hopefully they will fix the issue.

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