Malwarebytes keeps blocking Microsoft Office, and considers Word a "exploit"

[TechnologyHatesMeButILoveIt]

I've had malwarebytes for over a year, and just renewed my premium subscription. Today it has decided to block MS Office Word. So every time I open word, it will close and malewarebytes gives a report saying it blocked an 'exploit'

I don't want to disable malwarebytes, I've already paid over $100 for it. But I have to use word, my job depends on it. Below is the report, which shows its blocking the file folder for my editing add-on grammarly, which is something I've had for years and is one of the most popular editing programs available.

Is there a way to fix this, or am I just going to have to uninstall malwarebytes? I have webroot too so I will still be protected.



Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Protection Event Date: 3/29/17
Protection Event Time: 4:48 PM
Logfile:
Administrator: Yes

-Software Information-
Version: 3.0.6.1469
Components Version: 1.0.75
Update Package Version: 1.0.1624
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 10
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: System

-Exploit Details-
File: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Exploit: 1
Malware.Exploit.Agent.Generic, , Blocked, [0], [-1],0.0.0

-Exploit Data-
Affected Application: Microsoft Office Word
Protection Layer: Application Behavior Protection
Protection Technique: Exploit payload file blocked
File Name: C:\Users\megan\AppData\Roaming\Grammarly\Updates\GrammarlyAddInSetup6.6.97.exe
URL:



(end)

 

[captaincharisma]

where did you get your copy of microsoft office?

 

[USAFRet]

This seems to be a conflict with your add-in Grammerly, and not "Word".

 

[TMTOWTSAC]

Looks it's a false positive related to how Grammarly auto-updates itself. Some people reported that they were able to download and install the latest version of Grammarly manually (rather than the program updating itself) and it resolved their issues. If that doesn't work (or it starts flagging it again next time Grammarly releases a new version) you may have to add an exception. If I'm reading this right, go into the LOGS tab, find the "block event" related to Word and click on "Exclude"

 

[Emerald]

Something seems to be wrong with your grammar checker, Grammarly. May uninstall it and see if that helps.

 

[TechnologyHatesMeButILoveIt]

Looks it's a false positive related to how Grammarly auto-updates itself. Some people reported that they were able to download and install the latest version of Grammarly manually (rather than the program updating itself) and it resolved their issues. If that doesn't work (or it starts flagging it again next time Grammarly releases a new version) you may have to add an exception. If I'm reading this right, go into the LOGS tab, find the "block event" related to Word and click on "Exclude"

Grammarly is already updated, it shows to have the latest update. With malwarebytes, I tried what you suggested and couldn't do it. Every time I tried to do anything with malwarebytes, it would freeze. I managed to get it to turn off exploit detection instead, but it took a few tires of clicking, force quieting the now frozen malwarebytes, and trying again until in finally worked. My computer's fine, with a brand new everything, i7 6700K, Nvidia 1080, 16gb ram, its fast and responsive. Its just malwarebytes that is slow and unresponsive.

If anything else happens, I'm just uninstalling malwarebytes. Grammarly is something I have to have. I will still have webroot installed.

 

[geercom2]

I uninstalled Grammarly and it solved the issue. Adding the exclusion did not work.

 

[Veg4Life]

Just an FYI,

I have a client who has vanilla version of Word - from Office 365 and only way to solve it - uninstall Malwarebytes.

This is second occurrence of Malwarebytes getting in the way - last week it blocked Excel - from Office 365.

This is NOT a good thing. Malwarebytes better get their shit together.

 

[JJKing]

Looks it's a false positive related to how Grammarly auto-updates itself. Some people reported that they were able to download and install the latest version of Grammarly manually (rather than the program updating itself) and it resolved their issues. If that doesn't work (or it starts flagging it again next time Grammarly releases a new version) you may have to add an exception. If I'm reading this right, go into the LOGS tab, find the "block event" related to Word and click on "Exclude"

On Malwarebytes version 3.1.2.1733
Open Malwarebytes,
Settings,
Manage Protected Applications,
Microsoft Office Word and turn the protection off.
Keep in mind that Exploit Protection is no longer protecting Word. Excel protection can be disabled the same way.

To the OP. I realise this can be frustrating but Malwarebytes has got it's shit together. Since using it for the past 7 years along with Microsoft Security Essential, I have never been infected by a single instance of malware or virus. Additionally my wife who clicks anything the appears in her Inbox or Facebook want would get infected daily has also never been infected since I put a full copy of Malwarebytes on her laptop. Six (6) years and counting. Follow the above steps and you can run Grammarly without any blocking but remember that Word is then no longer protected.

 

[saelwell]

I have just received this from MalwareBytes support in connection with this error.

===============

I have contacted the engineering team and it seems like this is a new issue with Norton. It's being fixed to be released on an update soon.

For now, we can try this workaround :
1. Open Malwarebytes
2. Go to the Protection tab and find "Advanced Settings" (under the Exploit protection button")
3. A new window opens, go to the "Advanced Memory Protection" tab and find "Malicious Return Address Detection".
4. Uncheck the MS Office box.
5. Click "Apply"
6. MS Office should not crash anymore

================

Hope this helps.

Stephen