Virus on r2g_launcher.exe

[FroBodine]

I booted up ol' Steam today, and my Norton anti-virus found a virus on r2G_launcher.exe, and removed that file from my computer.

The threat if found was Heur.AdvML.b

Is this an issue? Do I need to reinstall the game to get that file back? Why do you think Norton is finding this virus on that file?

[Konstanty]

It's not an issue, it's Norton misinterpreting steam wrapper on our executable as a virus. You could whitelist whole steamapps directory where you install games to make this go away. We will try disabling Steam wrapper come Monday and see if that helps... But whitelisting steam directory is a good idea anyway since Norton can slow your games down considerably.

At the end of that thread you can read about that exact issue:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/449960/discussions/1/1368380934294039138/?ctp=2

And to get that exe file you probably just have to run properties->local files tab->verify integrity of game files (or something similarly named)

[FroBodine]

Thank you, Konstanty!

[Alizarin Crimson]

Norton is a bit overzealous sometimes, I have a couple of games on Steam that Norton classified as Virus...luckily, that's easily remedied.

[Morti]

Exactly the same issue today with Avast. The treat is called "IDP.Generic" and force atomatically Avast to put the launcher in the quarantine zone

[Darkness]

Originally posted by Morti:

Exactly the same issue today with Avast. The treat is called "IDP.Generic" and force atomatically Avast to put the launcher in the quarantine zone

Try informing avast it's a false positive, and/or whitelist the game folder (or the whole steam folder).

[velkito]

I'm using Avast, and although I whitelisted the whole common subdirectory to exclusions, I'm still told the r2g launcher is locked (Content file locked). Now my Steam window is a fugly yellow color, which feels even worse. What should I do?

[Konstanty]

Originally posted by Мивко Къртачевич:

I'm using Avast, and although I whitelisted the whole common subdirectory to exclusions, I'm still told the r2g launcher is locked (Content file locked). Now my Steam window is a fugly yellow color, which feels even worse. What should I do?

I'm sorry this is happening to you. A bit out of our hands, but I sympathize nonetheless. Have you tried clearing steam download directory? Or turning Avast off completely and then running the game (it might keep the files locked from before the exclusion of the Steam directory)?

[velkito]

Have you tried clearing steam download directory? - how/where exactly?
Or turning Avast off completely - I tried killing it with task manager and got "access denied"

[Darkness]

Originally posted by velkito:

Or turning Avast off completely - I tried killing it with task manager and got "access denied"

No, right click avast on tray icon, and disable the modules for sometime to give it a try!

Antivirus can't be closed via task kill, as otherwise malicious programs would just do that to start their business!

[andyk455]

I'm having the same issue with AVG, the software analizer portion of AVG calls that file a Generic Virus that may be monitoring my web usage or looking for behavour patterns. I note that part of the Game software is suppose to monitor how we play the game to "improve" how the game estimates play time on the timed missions.
Perhaps there is a way to run the game with this abillity shut down? I really don't need the software to better estimate my play style nor how long it takes me to clear out a level. I just want to play the game. Note I do not like disabling anti-virus software even it it is only in one directory.

[Konstanty]

Hello! I'm 99% sure that's not the case here. The game doesn't do anything remotely close to monitoring web traffic, it just creates a log file with events from the game (events like the player using a card, dying and so on) and then uploads it anonymously to us.

What is happening, in my opinion, is AVG identifying a part of the game code as similar to the code of a known virus. This happens often because games are optimized in ways that resemble virus signatures. Most games are whitelisted by antiviruses to avoid false-positives but in early access it's impossible to white-list every single executable we publish.

It's even possible that the code triggering alert is not in our code but in Chromium web library we are using to display websites in game.

Steam recommends disabling antivirus software when playing or at least whitelisting whole steam directory for that reason.

If you want to try, place an empty file named "nofeedback.txt" in game's executable directory. This will disable feedback uploading. However, the code won't change so I suspect that AVG will make a fuss still. Let me know if it helped.

[andyk455]

The nofeedback.txt was in the near empty folder after I uninstalled and reinstalled the demo. Note initially the game demo would not install as AVG blocked the install of the above file and the rest of the game except for two files one of them the nofeedback file. After I excepted the steam folder the game installed and I could play the demo. NOTE I unexcepted the foder and I could still play so not sure why that happened. I have reexcepted ( Is that a word ?) and will finish my testing of the game. I like it but my mouse is too slow so I need to change mouse speed. Fun Game

[Konstanty]

That file is created if you chose to opt out from feedback on the start of the demo, that's why it was already there.

I'm glad it's working again. Antiviruses and games don't mesh too well, games use many sneaky optimizations (we sure do!) that are mistaken for malicious code by av heuristics.

Enjoy the game

[andyk455]

Thanks that clears up the mystery of why the file was there to start with,. I like the game but I have a hard time moving the mouse fast enough to wipe out the enemies before they get me when they swarm. Thanks again for the quick response

[Konstanty]

Use crowd control cards to prevent mobs from swarming you :-)