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Are AV False Positives Hurting You?

Posted by Cliff on from the this-code-is-not-a-virus dept.

Gerald asks: "After the most recent Wireshark release a certain AV vendor's product started warning users that the installer contained adware. Since then, I've spent several hours verifying this isn't the case, trying to get the AV vendor to fix their stuff, and reassuring affected users that we do not ship adware with our product. Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated case. I've had to do this several times over the past few years, and each incident uses up time that could have been better spent elsewhere. It's even worse for other projects. If you produce software, have you ever suffered collateral damage from AV false positives?"

6 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Moo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    have you ever suffered collateral damage from AV false positives?"

    Just before, i had this totally awesome reply, but it was *falsely* identified by the Slashdot junk filter and i couldn't post it.

  2. No by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It's the HIV false positives that are really bothering the hell out of me!

  3. No, but the potential is there! by LibertineR · · Score: 4, Funny
    If you have ever been privileged to hear the high-pitched squeal from Kaspersky Internet Security when it encounters a virus and been knocked out of your Aeron into mid-air, you know your life has just been shortened.

    I know they want to get your attention, but DAMN that noise is obnoxious!

  4. Re:Yes and no. by rvw · · Score: 3, Funny

    This way though, it's running Ubuntu 6.10,
    ................
    Win-win. Please don't contradict yourself!
  5. Re:question by Skrynesaver · · Score: 3, Funny
    This is the Linux honour system virus, please :
    • Copy this text to a text file on each of your hard drives
    • Randomly delete three files on your system
    • forward this to everyone in your addressbook.
    Your co-operation has been appreciated, thank you.
    --
    "Linux is for noobs"-The new MS fud strategy
  6. Re:yup by qwijibo · · Score: 2, Funny

    Having files deleted is a minor inconvenience. Norton broke my arm when I plugged my USB drive in. Talk about a false positive hurting someone. =)