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Microsoft Anti-Spyware Removes Norton Anti-Virus
An anonymous reader writes "According to a story over at Washingtonpost.com, the latest definitions file for Microsoft's Anti-Spyware beta flags Symantec's Norton Antivirus products as a password-stealing trojan and prompts users to delete portions of the program. Users who follow the instructions hose their installation of Norton, requiring delicate Windows registry edits and a complete removal/reinstall of Norton. Microsoft's support forum is quickly filling up with complaints about this problem, many from businesses that have been pretty hard hit. This should be a cautionary tale about deploying beta products in production environments."
Seriously. Considering how good NAV is at sucking up memory and CPU cycles, the only way anyone probably noticed was when their computer suddenly seemed much smoother and more responsive.
ABSURDITY, n.: A statement or belief manifestly inconsistent with one's own opinion.
First off, good call on "don't use beta in production!" I am sure many of us have had to make the call on using a beta product before. I know I used XP SP2 when it was beta because it had so many things that I needed at the time. However, I paid for it in many ways. I would still make the call again but I at least did it with eyes open.
Second, what kind of moron installs that software, sees it tell you that your Norton software has to go, and then follow through with it when you are in a business environment? I just find that to be amazing.
Third, this strikes at one of the main reasons I have thought Microsoft's move into the anti-malware industry was a bad one. Considering how protective they are of their IP and their EULAs, it suprises the hell out of me they would violate other company's EULAs (adware companies) among other things.
Fourth and finally, there are going to be some lawsuits which really means more money for findlaw.com.
The ultimate network admin tool needs HELP!
what does it do? you mean beside hosing computers?
i work for an isp, and the checklist the tech monkeys use now has "do you have any norton products installed?" at the top of it. it's the single biggest cause of connection and email troubles we get. it randomly blocks outgoing and incoming connection to the email server. also does the same for web, but it's much rarer.
The first problem I see with your experiment is that you're comparing software that offers vastly different capabilities. Some do more than others, for instance. Like I said, some include email scanning, while others don't. Some include firewall capabilities, while others don't.
So while AVG alone might run quicker than NAV, it doesn't offer the firewall capabilities. Soon enough you've installed ZoneAlarm or Kerio or some other firewall. And you may very well find your system performing worse than using only NAV for similar functionality, with a greater amount of memory consumption.
Second, you're trying to give a quantitative value to something that is qualitative. What metric do you use to measure the vulnerability of a particular PC? Sure, you can throw a certain amount of malicious software at it, but that's not a realistic test.
Cyric Zndovzny at your service.
Whaddya mean you couldn't uninstall Norton for DOS? deltree c:\norton. Done.
As far as not needing an anti-spyware program, Norton's sucks for one reason. Another reason is MSFT's product stops a lot of things on the fly. Most anti-spyware programs only work marginally but the extra realtime layer with the MSFT product helps.
I switched to Symantec AntiVirus a while ago and it seems to be much better. My school also runs this. I remember that Norton was a slow piece. This one labeled as just Symantec AntiVirus seems to only take up less 2MB of RAM at the most. Anyone else have an opinion on this version? Getting definitions is exactly the same as Norton, but without a yearly subscription.
That is most likely the Corperate version of Symantec AV, which is *far* better than the desktop version that most people usually purchase. The corp version just sits in the tray until something comes along that might need some attention.
EveryDNS. Use it. It works.
AC's need not reply
Yeah, my favorite is when it gets "uninstalled" and blocks the communication with the DHCP server. Or better, just secure websites.
Just be warned if you count "Panda" with the "good guys".
If you don't need a yearly subscription, you probably have the corporate edition, which, for some reason, is far leaner and more polished than the home version.
We all know what to do, but we don't know how to get re-elected once we have done it
When Microsoft Anti-Spyware users remove the flagged Norton file as prompted, Symantec's product gets corrupted and no longer protects the user's machine.
And besides, what kind of antivirus system lets some random program delete it's files, causing it to stop protecting the user's machine?
Compare Microsoft Windows XP with OpenBSD, which is equally complicated.
This is offtopic, but I wouldn't resist. I very much doubt that OpenBSD and Windows XP are equally complicated. Far from it. As far as I know, OpenBSD is a consistent and beautifully engineered piece of software. Windows XP on the other hand is full of hundreds of different subsystems, compatibility patches, work arounds, etc. WOW16, DirectX, DCOM, MTS, MSMQ, .NET - need I say more ?
BTW, I am not saying that most Windows XP components, or even the ones listed above, are bad. A lof of what is in Windows is unavoidable. Simply that there are too many of them, with too many complicated dependancies.
OpenBSD is so secure and stable, precisely because by comparison it is a lot less complicated.
"Thanks for visiting, come again."
Okay, I will, moron.
First of all, I've seen a Windows XP system go down the tubes within 24 hours of unpacking the Dell box, simply by uninstalling McAfee. After that, it was unable to communicate to a Linksys router - three tech "geniuses" - me, SBC and Geek Squad - couldn't solve the problem. Why? Because there was nothing to look at - everything was buried in the fucking Registry. Reloading the system fixed the problem. Windows score: 0.
"Smart about what you install?" Oh, right, don't install anything - that will work. You work for Microsoft, by any chance? I install what I NEED to install, just like everybody else. I don't install crap just to be installing stuff. I don't install spyware, crappy calendars, sports games, or other drivel.
Text files vs Registry. Look, stupid, when I talk about not updating a text file except by hand, I'm talking about not having a half dozen different programs updating the same configuration - which is what the Registry does. And in fact, I HAVE had problems with Mandriva doing exactly that - their goddamn menu editor is a disaster (and that's not just my opinion.) The more Linux emulates Windows by making the configuration of subsystems more complex, the more problems Linux will have. A GUI that updates a single text file is no problem - all it does it act as your "hand".
As for the Registry being easy to copy, export and update, gimme a break. Most users can't even fucking FIND the thing (not that finding Linux text files is any easier.) There's no difference between Windows and Linux in ease of copying, exporting or updating anything - except Linux doesn't allow any Tom, Dick and Harry program to update its system files.
The rest of your post is meaningless ranting - especially your claim that you use Linux every day. Billshit (I didn't mispell "bullshit", BTW) - you're a Windows shill running off at the mouth.
"No way you can beat me. Give it up. Give...it...up."
Richard Steven Hack - This sig is TOO GODDAMN SHORT TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL WITH! MORONS!