Problems with windows defender

[jhon1607]

What version of Go, VS Code & VS Code Go extension are you using?

Version Information

• Run go version to get version of Go from the VS Code integrated terminal.

  • <1.20.2>

• Run gopls -v version to get version of Gopls from the VS Code integrated terminal.

  • <0.11.0>

• Run code -v or code-insiders -v to get version of VS Code or VS Code Insiders.

  • <1.76.2>

• Check your installed extensions to get the version of the VS Code Go extension

  • <0.38.0>

• Run Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac OS) > Go: Locate Configured Go Tools command.

  • <
  • Checking configured tools....
    GOBIN: undefined
    toolsGopath:
    gopath: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go
    GOROOT: C:\Program Files\Go
    PATH: C:\ProgramData\Oracle\Java\javapath;C:\Windows\system32;C:\Windows;C:\Windows\System32\Wbem;C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin;;C:\Program Files (x86)\NVIDIA Corporation\PhysX\Common;C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA NvDLISR;C:\Program Files\nodejs;C:\Program Files\Go\bin;%PNPM_HOME%;C:\Users\sanch\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps;C:\Program Files\heroku\bin;C:\Users\sanch\AppData\Roaming\npm;C:\Users\sanch\go\bin;C:\Program Files\go-comment-splitter;C:\Users\sanch\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code\bin

  go: C:\Program Files\Go\bin\go.exe: go version go1.20.2 windows/amd64

  gotests: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin\gotests.exe (version: v1.6.0 built with go: go1.20.2)
  gomodifytags: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin\gomodifytags.exe (version: v1.16.0 built with go: go1.20.2)
  impl: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin\impl.exe (version: v1.1.0 built with go: go1.20.2)
  goplay: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin\goplay.exe (version: v1.0.0 built with go: go1.20.2)
  dlv: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin\dlv.exe (version: v1.20.1 built with go: go1.20.2)
  staticcheck: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin\staticcheck.exe (version: v0.4.2 built with go: go1.20.2)
  gopls: C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\bin\gopls.exe (version: v0.11.0 built with go: go1.20.2)

go env
Workspace Folder (Katze): c:\Users\sanch\home\dev\projects\servers\Go\Katze
set GO111MODULE=
set GOARCH=amd64
set GOBIN=
set GOCACHE=C:\Users\sanch\AppData\Local\go-build
set GOENV=C:\Users\sanch\AppData\Roaming\go\env
set GOEXE=.exe
set GOEXPERIMENT=
set GOFLAGS=
set GOHOSTARCH=amd64
set GOHOSTOS=windows
set GOINSECURE=
set GOMODCACHE=C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go\pkg\mod
set GONOPROXY=
set GONOSUMDB=
set GOOS=windows
set GOPATH=C:\Users\sanch\Home\Projects\Go
set GOPRIVATE=
set GOPROXY=https://proxy.golang.org,direct
set GOROOT=C:\Program Files\Go
set GOSUMDB=sum.golang.org
set GOTMPDIR=
set GOTOOLDIR=C:\Program Files\Go\pkg\tool\windows_amd64
set GOVCS=
set GOVERSION=go1.20.2
set GCCGO=gccgo
set GOAMD64=v1
set AR=ar
set CC=gcc
set CXX=g++
set CGO_ENABLED=0
set GOMOD=c:\Users\sanch\home\dev\projects\servers\Go\Katze\go.mod
set GOWORK=
set CGO_CFLAGS=-O2 -g
set CGO_CPPFLAGS=
set CGO_CXXFLAGS=-O2 -g
set CGO_FFLAGS=-O2 -g
set CGO_LDFLAGS=-O2 -g
set PKG_CONFIG=pkg-config
set GOGCCFLAGS=-m64 -fno-caret-diagnostics -Qunused-arguments -Wl,--no-gc-sections -fmessage-length=0 -fdebug-prefix-map=C:\Users\sanch\AppData\Local\Temp\go-build2914934687=/tmp/go-build -gno-record-gcc-switches
- >

Share the Go related settings you have added/edited

Run Preferences: Open Settings (JSON) command to open your settings.json file.
Share all the settings with the go. or ["go"] or gopls prefixes.

Describe the bug

When I save a Go file, Antimalware Service executable consumes all the system resources, I came to the conclusion that the error was caused by the extension because when I deactivate it, the error disappears and when I activate it, it happens again.A clear and concise

I have few extensions and I had to deactivate them all and activate them one by one, so I came to know that it was the go extension that caused the error.

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Go to 'Opens a vscode and task manager window.'
2. Click on 'Create a go file, place contents in it and click save, without taking your eyes off the Antimalware Service Executable process. '
3. See error

Screenshots or recordings

[jamalc]

/cc @findleyr

[findleyr]

CC @hyangah

I am not sure what we can do to help here. Our builds are open source and verifiable. If windows defender detects a problem, that seems like a windows defender bug? Without more information, I'm afraid this is not actionable on our end.

Can you share more about the windows defender error? Does it identify the problematic executable (e.g. gopls)?

[hyangah]

The extension depends on the go binary and a few compiled Go tools.
If virus scanner interferes with the operation, this extension won't work.
See https://go.dev/doc/faq#virus

Can you configure the scanner to exclude the tools this extension installs?

(you can inspect the current tools location from the go explorer view or using "Go: Locate Configured Go Tools" command)

You may be able to configure your extension to install
the tools in a specified location (using "go.toolsGopath" setting)
and configure the virus scanning program to exclude the directory.

[Dmitrevicz]

@hyangah hi, I'm not the author of this topic, but I encountered the exact same behaviour with Windows Defender CPU load striking in space close to 100% cpu usage.

Can you configure the scanner to exclude the tools this extension installs?

I did what you proposed - added all go tools and go.exe itself in scanner exceptions list, but it didn't help at all (nothing changed, I see no improvements).

I've been fighting this issue for like several months already, and still can't solve it completely - the only thing I see on the internet is that every ticket on github in every repo is being closed without solution blaming Windows Defender.

The only thing that helped me quite a lot is disabling some vscode extensions I didn't really needed at the moment, but even after disabling them and having all go tools, vscode and go.exe in scanner exceptions list - windows defender still occupies cpu.
(Maybe it is indeed how defender works and we can't do anything about this on Windows, I've lost hope already)

Upd.: What actually helped me and dropped Defender cpu usage close to 0 is adding go.exe and gopls.exe to scanner exclusions "As Process" (and marking asked checkbox in popup) - not as just file or like folder providing path to it (excluded like this 2 ways didn't help), but only using Windows Defender option "exclude as process" and providing exact processes names. May or not this solution be considered as more vulnerable to malicious software from scanner perspective - I have no idea.

[hyangah]

Thanks @Dmitrevicz for sharing your experience.
This extension heavily depends on running go and gopls (on windows, go.exe and gopls.exe). So windows defender blocking or slowing down these processes will prevent this extension and also go from running. It's unfortunate, but I don't know other ways to make windows defender happy about go and their tools. Can any of you contribute to a documentation to help other windows users who have similar experience? https://github.com/golang/vscode-go/blob/master/docs/troubleshooting.md can have a dedicated section for windows users :-)

[yury-kozlov]

Upd.: What actually helped me and dropped Defender cpu usage close to 0 is adding go.exe and gopls.exe to scanner exclusions

This extension heavily depends on running go and gopls (on windows, go.exe and gopls.exe). So windows defender blocking or slowing down these processes will prevent this extension and also go from running.

@Dmitrevicz @hyangah thanks for your tips, this helped to significantly improve CPU usage when dealing with go on windows