Windows Antivirus Flags Clash: How to Handle False Positives

Getting a virus warning on a freshly downloaded Clash client is the most common scare. It is almost always a false positive: proxy cores change network settings and create virtual adapters — behavior that superficially resembles malware.

Verify the file is clean

• Download only from GitHub Releases or a trusted mirror like this site — never from random repacks
• Compare the file hash where the project publishes one
• Scan with a multi-engine service: one engine flagging while dozens pass is the classic false-positive signature

Whitelisting steps

Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Exclusions: add the Clash Verge Rev install folder. If the file was already removed, restore it from Protection History first, then add the exclusion.

About aggressive antivirus suites

Some third-party suites silently delete proxy tools outright. While using proxy software, running only Windows Defender is the calmest setup — multiple antivirus products fighting each other helps no one.