BC2 + some Antivirus/Internet Security products: Server browser freezes

[MikaelKalms]

As noted in the Server Browser - Hangs thread among others, Client R8 doesn't work very well with some antivirus products.

Kaspersky Internet Security

Symptom: The server browser freezes for a long time when it is about to return results. The more servers that your search will return, the longer the freeze.

Reason: The server browser has been modified to do server-pinging using the non-admin Icmp* functions in Win32. (Earlier it used raw sockets.) This change makes the server pinging also function for non-administrators, but Kaspersky triggers on the game's behaviour.

We are in contact with Kaspersky Labs about this. We have no ETA for a fix.

Until then, known workarounds:
1) Use join-by-friend, or your favourites list, or your history list
2) Make sure you search queries are so narrow that you only get 10-20 results
3) Uninstall Kaspersky Internet Security (merely disabling will not help; neither will adding an exclusion for BFBC2Game.exe) -- NOTE: this makes you vulnerable to viruses and the like.

ESET Smart Security

Symptom: All ping times are displayed as - or 999

Reason: ESET Smart Security thinks that all the ping responses are coming in from servers are the result of a Denial-Of-Service attack that has been triggered from some other machine, and it begins to ignore those the incoming ICMP PING responses.

We have not yet been able to reach ESET about this.

Workaround:
In ESET Smart Security, go into Setup> Personal Firewall> Advanced Personal Firewall Setup> IDS and advanced options> ICMP protocol attack detection: disable
This will not make your machine vulnerable to viruses, it only means that someone can crash your computer remotely using an ICMP-based Denial-Of-Service attack (which is a very unlikely event).

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you experience either of these symptoms:
* Server browser freezes
* Server browser shows - or 999 in ping column for all servers

... then reply to this thread, and state:
* Which symptom you are experiencing
* which antivirus/internet security product you currently have installed (incl. version number)
* if you found any workaround not yet mentioned - do tell

[BossMan2040]

I hope they fix this soon as i can only play servers on my fav and old history list

[EKK0]

Originally Posted by MikaelKalms

As noted in the Server Browser - Hangs thread among others, Client R8 doesn't work very well with some versions of Kaspersky Internet Security.

Symptom: The server browser freezes for a long time when it is about to return results. The more servers that your search will return, the longer the freeze.

Reason: The server browser has been modified to do server-pinging using the non-admin Icmp* functions in Win32. (Earlier it used raw sockets.) This change makes the server pinging also function for non-administrators, but Kaspersky triggers on the game's behaviour.

We are in contact with Kaspersky Labs about this. We have no ETA for a fix.

Until then, known workarounds:
1) Use join-by-friend, or your favourites list, or your history list
2) Make sure you search queries are so narrow that you only get 10-20 results
3) Uninstall Kaspersky Internet Security (merely disabling will not help; neither will adding an exclusion for BFBC2Game.exe)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you experience either of these symptoms:
* Server browser freezes
* Server browser shows - or 999 in ping column for all servers

... then reply to this thread, and state:
* Which symptom you are experiencing
* which antivirus/internet security product you currently have installed (incl. version number)
* if you found any workaround not yet mentioned - do tell

it seems nod32 is fine with this..no issues with the av on bc2...

[notodd1991]

Thanks for the update

[weirdoCHiCKeN]

NOD32
Server Browser shows every server with - or 999 ping.

Someone suggested to go:
Setup> Personal Firewall> Advanced Personal Firewall Setup> IDS and advanced options> ICMP protocol attack detection: disable

Then I'm able to see pings in the server browser.
But I'm wondering if that harms my PC in any way?
I'd rather keep it on enabled if I'm open to hacking attacks by disabling it.

Anyone an idea if disabling it is dangerous?

Thanks

[MikaelKalms]

Disabling ICMP attack detection is rather benign - you are still protected against viruses and intrusions. The only thing is that you run are more vulnerable toward DOS/DDOS attacks (someone instructs 1000 machines to send PING responses to your PC, and your PC can't take the load and crashes/freezes). Not exactly something that happens often.

[weirdoCHiCKeN]

Thanks Kalms.

I will just turn it on.

Do you have any plans to fix this problem, because I think it arrived with the R8/R15 Patch.

Not a biggie though if it won't get fixed.

[Turel2]

I use Avast 5.0.594 and get 999 or blank pings in the server browser. That is with admin rights.

[psycho063]

@MikaelKalms

I'd suggest renaming the Nod32 antivirus to "ESET Smart Security" As the antivirus is a standalone version without the firewall component and therefore causes no interference. Or at least put it inside brackets.

BTW Using NOD32 AV + Comodo firewall (latest version) and no issues after I've placed BC2 and punkbusterA/punkbusterB executables to the "trusted application" lists in Comodo.

[Normalice]

I am using Kapersky 2010 and well like Kalms said,the browser freezes up. That's the only thing that is happening at the moment.

[Dawind6]

thanks for this info kalms

waiting to see u again in Conq server

Dawindbob

[Chewie_77]

Microsoft Security Essentials has no issues with BC2. Although I have excluded the BC2 folder and .exe from real-time protection.

[R3pcom]

Most Symantec products e.g Norton 360v4 and Norton AV2010 are working fine with BC2.

[parampampam4]

ESET AntiVirus 4.2.40.10+Steam version of BFBC2, not smart security with firewall

Problem: I have not such function to disable - IDS and advanced options> ICMP protocol attack detection: disable

Symptom: 999 ping and still spawn lag even when I added a folder to exclusions of NOD AV

All what we have to do is wait. MikaelKalms will it be fixed in new client+server update or we have to install newer version of AV to remove 999 ping and spawn lag?

Intel E8500
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[ac0016]

Hi,
I am not using personal firewalls or software firewalls, because I think they are weak anyway. But I have the same problem with BFBC2 now. In server browser it will show me some servers with correct ping, but then it freezes and after some time all other servers are shown with ping 999 and I am also not able to join any server.

If I quit BFBC2 I can notice that my gaming pc is completely blocked from the internet. So I checked syslog from my hardware firewall. Everytime I try to start server browser in BFBC2 the firewall will detect flood and ping attack and block the IP-adress from my pc for 20 minutes.

Maybe there are workarounds to put my gaming pc in some exclude list from security policies. But with highend hardware firewall you dont want to generate security holes or allow one of your pcs to do everything, right?

So I guess its a problem with the new patch and not with firewalls, the server browser scan is too agressive and behaves like ddos attacker. Before patch there was no problem and I dont have any problem with steam or any other multiplayer games.

my firewall is Firebox Edge x20e from Watchguard Technologies with latest fireware.
Tho with the new patch I wasnt able to play any game or join any server. Please fix it asap!

regards
ac

[fieteASmerlin]

Originally Posted by parampampam4

ESET AntiVirus 4.2.40.10+Steam version of BFBC2, not smart security with firewall
Problem: I have not such function to disable - IDS and advanced options> ICMP protocol attack detection: disable

the problem here is about FIREWALL
ESET AntiVirus is AV, not firewall
maybe you have to ask not smart security with firewall
whatever that is

[parampampam4]

Originally Posted by fieteASmerlin

the problem here is about FIREWALL
ESET AntiVirus is AV, not firewall
maybe you have to ask not smart security with firewall
whatever that is

hmmm. I have no firewall except Windows default, but it added the exception when I started the game for the first time

Who knows how to hadle this problem on default Windows Firewall? Thnx

[Nkdan1]

I seriously can't believe your advocating uninstalling a users AV/internet security as a fix for this bug. QA failure of massive proportions guys.

[twistoff]

Having this problem... Using KAV9. When patch first came out didn't have any problems. I tried playing some rounds today for the first time since Thursday, and I'm having the issue with the server browser where it stops responding to my server search and the game freezes.

Hopefully there will be a fix soon.

[muffinnnn]

Originally Posted by Nkdan1

I seriously can't believe your advocating uninstalling a users AV/internet security as a fix for this bug. QA failure of massive proportions guys.

First off, they're not BC2 bugs, they are false positives with certain types of security software. Second, neither bug fixes nor customer support are QA. Being right is important if you're going to take an attitude.

More importantly, why are you getting upset about the resolutions MK lists? This is like the McDonald's coffee warning fiasco... coffee is hot, but you should know that if you drink coffee. Uninstalling one AV package without installing a new one is a security risk, but you should know that if you're responsible for a computer's security. Or would you have the only person responsible for patching BC2 spend all his time spelling out details for you as if you were incompetent? It's attitudes exactly like yours that make companies afraid of providing anything that they aren't contractually bound to provide, lest they be sued.

[jrolson85]

Using Kaspersky 2011 and it only freezes for like a second for me.
No big deal....

[DeLuXe2000]

Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 - 11.0.0.232
Server Browser lagg and chat lagg (everytime someones writes in the chat i got a short lagg)

[Cyperita]

Thanks for info Kalms Guys stop quarrel about what is what and juslalalahis is the best way which i see in this whole subcject.

[Cyperita]

lol i write " w8" and there is juslalalala oO.What's goin' on?!

[BossMan2040]

Originally Posted by DeLuXe2000

Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 - 11.0.0.232
Server Browser lagg and chat lagg (everytime someones writes in the chat i got a short lagg)

Well i got the same but still it crashes at the browser?