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(Mis)Uses of Technology

by Mike Masnick

Thu, Jan 3rd 2008 6:35pm




Filed Under:
security, viruses, websites

Companies:
mcafee


Latest Antivirus Error: McAfee Blocks A Bunch Of Popular Sites As Risky

from the sorry-about-that dept

A little over a week after Kaspersky's anti-virus software declared Windows Explorer was a virus, it appears that McAfee has had its own mistake, as an anti-virus update from the company started warning people to stay away from a bunch of popular sites, including ESPN, Friendster and Ars Technica. McAfee later admitted that it was a mistake on its end, but it seems that we're seeing these kinds of false positives on a fairly frequent basis these days. It's yet another sign that things need to change in how security software works -- but instead of real advances, it still seems like firms are bogged down with things like pointless patent battles.

10 Comments | Leave a Comment

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  •  
    identicon
    zcat, Jan 3rd, 2008 @ 6:52pm

    old adage..

    It's hard to drain the swamp when you're up to your neck in alligators..

    Time to leave the swamp? Your linux is ready...

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

    •  
      identicon
      inc, Jan 3rd, 2008 @ 10:44pm

      Re: old adage..

      Ubuntu baby

       

      [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

      •  
        identicon
        Krubuntu, Jan 3rd, 2008 @ 10:57pm

        Re: Re: old adage..

        Absolutely. I got an HP Pavilion dv6000 laptop in August that came with Vista Business preinstalled and it drove me nuts. Tried Ubuntu 7.10 out by dual-booting and it took me a week to decide that all of my boxes from here on out will be Ubuntu or at least some form of Linux. I love it and did install Avast for antivirus "just in case" and I'm looking forward to years with out problems. I may not be able to play as many games but I'm sure my wife has no problem with that.

         

        [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    Lawrence D'Oliveiro, Jan 4th, 2008 @ 1:10am

    No More Errors!

    We mustn't let up the War On Error! Otherwise the errorists will win!

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    icon
    Killer_Tofu (profile), Jan 4th, 2008 @ 5:04am

    Windows Explorer

    Windows Explorer is not a virus?
    I don't think I can buy into that one.
    Too far fetched.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    known coward, Jan 4th, 2008 @ 5:42am

    was there anything . . .

    In the sites that was tripping the anti-virus software, or was it just a bug in the virus defintion itself?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    franl, Jan 4th, 2008 @ 10:16am

    ESET's NOD32 a/v is small, fast, and very good

    I use ESET's NOD32 (http://eset.com) antivirus tool on Windows, and it's small, fast, and has never missed a virus. In fact, NOD32's claim to fame is that it has never missed an in-the-wild virus. Not surprizingly, they push out a virus database to their client sometimes two or three times a day.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    a.v.koshy, Jun 7th, 2009 @ 2:56pm

    mcafee is dumb

    my mcafee is blocking my access to gmail -help

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    Mike, Nov 16th, 2009 @ 6:37am

    My favorite incidence of antivirus software blocking programs it should not be blocking was when my antivirus product X woul dnot let me install antivirus product Y. Then, my spyware program picked up multiple hits from antivirus X and Y. Why there is still no single product that does everything and actually does it well, continues to confound me on pretty much a daily basis.

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]

  •  
    identicon
    Wow, Apr 2nd, 2013 @ 1:47pm

    argghhh

    i've often found that certain anti-virus programs tend to block each other from running/installing they tend to squabble with each other, why is this?

     

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in chronology ]


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