Third Party Security app issues

Anti-Virus has quarantined or removed ‘Autorun.exe’

Why have I received a message from my installed cyber security program that the Autorun.exe is a potential threat?

We are primarily talking about an issue affecting Windows platforms, as this is the only platform that utilised the ‘Autorun’ feature.

There are entities out there who wish to gain access to personal data for their own gain. We will gloss over the incitements they have regardless whether they are greed v need, or whether political v ideologic, the threat exists nonetheless.

We will similarly bypass any allegations some may have over the desire to capitalise on these fears when creating protections for the issue. Suffice to say we, as consumers are left with a few side-effects.

So, are you saying your Autorun might not be safe?

Nothing could be farther from the truth, please allow us to explain:

The Autorun function is an ‘executable’ program that effectively ‘tells’ the operating system what to do, hence why, potentially, this kind of program can be used nefariously. To try to stop this from happening Microsoft offer certain software publisher to ‘certificate’ their programs, for a charge, so before you ask, I’ll answer, small operations and private businesses don’t even try to get certification because of the potential time and charges involved.

Third Party Ani-Virus software

So now we come the 3rd Party Anti-Virus providers. It is in their interests to ensure your devices are safe, after all you are paying them for the privilege. If there was a hint that their products didn’t do as they said on the tin…. Well, let’s use the word ‘litigation’. These programs generally take a broad-brush approach to uncertificated executable files, so just block them or remove them. They also have a habit of stopping, blocking, or popping up messages at the most inopportune moments, in order to tell you how well they are protecting you, and their own view on the level of protection they are providing you and your computer. To some users, this actually gives them confidence to use their devices, knowing they can't inadvertently gain access to illicit software(s) or sites. If we were unkind, we could also suggest that it is also in their interest to over exaggerate risk or threat to show how efficient & important their product is… if we were being unkind.

Get to the point, The solution is……?

IF your Anti-Virus program blocks, stops, removes or quarantines the Autorun, the simple answer is switch it off before you unzip the ‘archive’ (the downloaded folder). You can find setting and controls either in the AntiVirus interface, or in the security settings of Windows itself. Once you have unzipped and ran the program, switch it back on. It now detects the Autorun, but knows it isn’t a risk.

There are an absolute myriad of software solutions out there whether free or paid for all platforms. It would naïve to think any one solution is the perfect fit, so a little investigation may be required. 

For Windows users, remember Windows 10 & 11 has it's own built in Windows Defender software, which is suitable for most home use applications

If you experience an error on downloading; ''Couldn't Download - Virus Scan failed'' click here