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Antivirus flags ego (lite)

How to keep using ego (lite) on Windows when Kaspersky, Microsoft Defender, or another antivirus reports ego.exe as a virus or trojan.

If your antivirus, such as Kaspersky, reports ego.exe as a virus or a trojan, quarantines it, or stops it from opening, it is a false positive. For our scan results, read How to troubleshoot antivirus software flagging ego (lite) for Windows as a virus on our blog.

We are working with antivirus vendors to fix it. Until your antivirus is updated, follow these steps to add ego.exe to its trusted applications.

1. Restore ego.exe if it was quarantined

Skip this step if ego.exe is still in place. Otherwise, restore it from your antivirus's quarantine list. In Microsoft Defender:

  1. Open Windows Security from the Start menu and select Virus & threat protection > Protection history.
  2. Select the ego.exe entry, then Actions > Restore.
  3. Defender detects the restored file again and adds a new entry. Open it and choose Allow on device.

Protection history needs an administrator account. If the file was deleted or will not restore, add the exception in step 3 first, then reinstall ego (lite) from the download page.

2. Find ego.exe

  • Right-click the ego (lite) shortcut on your desktop and select Open file location. File Explorer opens the folder that contains ego.exe.
  • If ego (lite) is running, you can also open Task Manager > Details, right-click ego.exe, and select Open file location.

To copy the full path, right-click ego.exe and select Copy as path. On Windows 10, hold Shift while you right-click to see that option.

3. Add the exception

Microsoft Defender (Windows Security)

  1. Open Windows Security and select Virus & threat protection.
  2. Under Virus & threat protection settings, select Manage settings.
  3. Under Exclusions, select Add or remove exclusions, then Add an exclusion > File.
  4. Select ego.exe and confirm.

Microsoft's Add an exclusion to Windows Security shows the same steps.

Kaspersky

  1. Open Kaspersky's settings and go to Threats and Exclusions. The exact labels vary slightly between versions.
  2. Select Specify trusted applications, add ego.exe, keep the suggested rules, and save.
  3. Kaspersky still scans the program file of a trusted application. If scans keep flagging ego.exe, also add it under Manage exclusions.

See Kaspersky's Threats and Exclusions help page for details.

Other antivirus products

ProductWhere to add ego.exe
NortonSettings > Antivirus > Scans and Risks > Items to Exclude from Scans (guide)
BitdefenderProtection > Antivirus > Settings > Manage exceptions. If Advanced Threat Defense blocks ego.exe, add it there too (antivirus, Advanced Threat Defense)
ESETAdvanced setup (F5) > Detection engine > Exclusions > Performance exclusions (KB2769)
Avast, AVG, McAfee, and othersLook for Exceptions, Exclusions, Excluded files, or Trusted applications in the settings, or search the vendor's help center

Menu names change between versions. If a label does not match what you see, follow the vendor's current guide.

Keep in mind

  • Add ego.exe itself, not a whole drive or your user folder, and keep your antivirus turned on.
  • If an alert names a different file in the ego (lite) folder, add that file the same way and tell us which one it was.
  • If alerts return after an ego (lite) update, check that the exception still points to ego.exe. Some products tie exceptions to a file's hash, which changes with every build.
  • Once your vendor has fixed the detection, you can remove the exception.

Still seeing alerts?

Email support@citrolabs.ai with your antivirus product and version, the detection name exactly as the alert shows it, your ego (lite) version, and a screenshot of the alert if you have one. These details let us report the detection to the right vendor. You can also ask in the ego (lite) Discord community.