Anti-Virus IS the virus?

[McRat]

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showt...light=matousec

Apparently most all AV products hook the Win OS services to detect attempts to make changes. And apparently that leaves a hole for malware writers to exploit with multi-core or multi-CPU machines.

It seems 64bit versions of Win are immune though.

I'll admit I've always been suspicious of AV software doing more harm than good. The McAfee meltdown recently just reinforced that belief.

[KiwiNZ]

A link to another Forum proves what ?

[3rdalbum]

I posted about this in the Cafe a few days ago.

The flaw allows viruses to evade detection when they are already running. It isn't like the viruses wouldn't work unless you had anti-virus.

One thing that amuses me is that when a Windows user finds their computer running slowly, they assume it's a virus causing the slowdown, and it never is. Viruses always try to evade detection and run silently underneath the surface of your computer, so they use as little CPU power as they can.

[McRat]

A link to another Forum proves what ?

Seems that thread had links explaining both sides, while many others have been one-sided.

Here's the Register article:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/05...tch_av_bypass/

Most desktop computers in the world are running AV software containing this flaw. It seemed an interesting story.

Feel free to delete it if it's inappropriate.

[wilee-nilee]

Using Mcafee is a foolish thing to do anyway, it is a well known AV, and the crackers who write the nasty-ware if they are astute have it written to disable all the major vendors anyway. There are many free more robust AV programs, but the user is the first in line for protection.

[MichealH]

You could try avast! Antivirus
1. It supports Linux
2. It is free
3. Is not well known so it will find a virus immediately ( No one has programmed a virus for the mis-detection of avast!. It finds every virus Also if this page had a virus it would block it and tell me no further action is needed.

[NightwishFan]

I agree with the thread title, but I have no proof. So I will go based on my knowledge of system security, theory and gut feeling.

[Khakilang]

And when you download Adobe flash or Reader you have to download McAfee as well. What are those Windows users in for?

[madjr]

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showt...light=matousec

Apparently most all AV products hook the Win OS services to detect attempts to make changes. And apparently that leaves a hole for malware writers to exploit with multi-core or multi-CPU machines.

It seems 64bit versions of Win are immune though.

I'll admit I've always been suspicious of AV software doing more harm than good. The McAfee meltdown recently just reinforced that belief.

totally agree with you

not only that but i bet my home that AV companies sponsor almost all the virus/malware dev offshore, creating the disease and selling you the cure (oldest trick in the book). Yea an awesome business

is a billion dollar industry (so anything and everything happens)

i wouldn't be surprised if Msft also kept their OS unsecured on purpose too, they earn millions by selling these extra security products and expensive enterprise support contracts.

I do not trust any of these companies, the bigger they're the worse.

[Timmer1240]

The best Antivirus Ive found is called Karmic Koala 9.10 Its working very nicely so far!Im sick of fixing windows all the time so Its Ubuntu for me the battles over I won!