AVG flags FlashUtil10a.exe as Trojan horse virus

Posted on 14 November 2008 | by Aaron Traffas, CAI, ATS, CES

This morning, I began getting reports that AVG antivirus on multiple machines on multiple networks began flagging FlashUtil10a.exe as the PSW.Generic6.AQPD Trojan Horse virus. I’m assuming this is a false positive, even though I would equate anything made by Adobe as a virus. I’ll update this post as soon as I learn more about this condition.

UPDATE

The Register now has a story about this being a confirmed false alarm. Update your definitions and the warnings should go away.

UPDATE

Today’s false-positive comes after AVG recently offered a free, one-year license to customers affected by another recent false-positive.
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Aaron Traffas, CAI, ATS, CES

twitter.com/traffas | aarontraffas.com | aarontraffasband.com

Aaron Traffas, CAI, AMM, CES, is an auctioneer from Sharon, Kansas. For the last 22 years he's worked for Purple Wave. Aaron served as president of the Kansas Auctioneers Association in 2017 and on the National Auctioneers Association Education Institute Board of Trustees from 2009 through 2013. He is a past instructor at CAI and co-wrote the original ATS and AMM designation courses from NAA. An active contract bid caller, he has advanced to the finals in multiple state auctioneer contests. During the summer, Aaron operates a farm in south central Kansas. Aaron is an active singer and songwriter and the Aaron Traffas Band's latest music can be found at aarontraffasband.com as well as Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon.

12 Responses to "AVG flags FlashUtil10a.exe as Trojan horse virus"

  • By Arlie Hedges 14 November 2008 - 6:56 pm

    I am noticing this too, all of the sudden.
    Whatever last night’s virus definitions update contained is treating this as a threat, however, heal, quarantine and ignore all seem to have no effect on the process as AVG continues to prompt me on just about every new page load in my browser.
    Not seeing much, if any info on the web about it though.
    I am reasonable positive that it is a false-positive warning.

  • By Arlie Hedges 14 November 2008 - 1:56 pm

    I am noticing this too, all of the sudden.
    Whatever last night’s virus definitions update contained is treating this as a threat, however, heal, quarantine and ignore all seem to have no effect on the process as AVG continues to prompt me on just about every new page load in my browser.
    Not seeing much, if any info on the web about it though.
    I am reasonable positive that it is a false-positive warning.

    • By Aaron 14 November 2008 - 5:33 pm

      @Arlie Hedges –
      Have you noticed it happening again after updating to today’s definitions?

  • By anthony irvine 14 November 2008 - 7:14 pm

    ive just ran a scan an its came up in the scan also its started coming up on certain webpages i go on! have to say,,,, i feel stupid because before then new version was released i recommended avg to all my friends and now alls there seems to be error after error! come on avg makers!!! pull your finger out!!!

  • By anthony irvine 14 November 2008 - 2:14 pm

    ive just ran a scan an its came up in the scan also its started coming up on certain webpages i go on! have to say,,,, i feel stupid because before then new version was released i recommended avg to all my friends and now alls there seems to be error after error! come on avg makers!!! pull your finger out!!!

    • By Aaron 14 November 2008 - 5:35 pm

      @anthony irvine –
      I too believe that the latest version has had more problems than version 7.x. Techspot and others are now reporting that AVG will offer a free, one-year license for another recent false-positive.

  • By Aaron Traffas 14 November 2008 - 10:33 pm

    @Arlie Hedges –
    Have you noticed it happening again after updating to today’s definitions?

  • By Aaron Traffas 14 November 2008 - 10:35 pm

    @anthony irvine –
    I too believe that the latest version has had more problems than version 7.x. Techspot and others are now reporting that AVG will offer a free, one-year license for another recent false-positive.

  • By Tonya 1 January 2009 - 8:09 am

    I am using AVG Free and it was working up until tonight sometime. I am showing a problem with flashutil10a.exe and I noticed that when I go into my virus vault, it is there. I tried restoring it from AVG VV, and it wouldn’t allow it. Then I tried to run my playlist online and it won’t let me because it needs flashplayer, so I opened up Tskmgr and closed the flashutil10a.exe program and sure enough, it allowed me to play the playlist. What is going on, anyone know of a fix? It is getting to the point where I have to shut down all my Internet windows and restart them after shutting down flashutil10a.exe.

  • By Tonya 1 January 2009 - 3:09 am

    I am using AVG Free and it was working up until tonight sometime. I am showing a problem with flashutil10a.exe and I noticed that when I go into my virus vault, it is there. I tried restoring it from AVG VV, and it wouldn’t allow it. Then I tried to run my playlist online and it won’t let me because it needs flashplayer, so I opened up Tskmgr and closed the flashutil10a.exe program and sure enough, it allowed me to play the playlist. What is going on, anyone know of a fix? It is getting to the point where I have to shut down all my Internet windows and restart them after shutting down flashutil10a.exe.

    • By Aaron 2 January 2009 - 9:04 am

      Have you updated to the latest version of AVG? It was my impression that the issue was fixed in the latest update of the virus definitions.

  • By Aaron Traffas 2 January 2009 - 2:04 pm

    Have you updated to the latest version of AVG? It was my impression that the issue was fixed in the latest update of the virus definitions.