Warning for all AVG Users

[loki]

A recent update identifies a critical Windows file, at least on XP, as a virus and then recommends removing it.

http://securityandthe.net/2008/11/10/avg-virus-scanner-removes-critical-windows-file/

[Leadraft]

Wow, thanks for passing that along loki. I guess the lesson is to do a restore point before updating or running a scan, registry utility or any other program that scans your system files. Although this is limited to AVG, I guess it could happen to any other virus scanner.

[Asad Khawer]

Cheers for the heads up mate - just shows how far AVG takes false positives. :(

[angels355]

I have my AVG on manual settings. I haven't updated or scanned in a few days, updated and scanned this morning on my 98se computer and had no problems, scanned clean. My win 2000 and xp computers are down for repairs or upgrades.

Thanks very much for he warning, I would have fell for that for sure. Glad they have a patch for it. I always nuke first ask questions later, now I'll try to be more cautious.

[cianpars]

Hi All,

I have Windoze XP and AVG 8 which I update daily and have not experienced this problem - yet!

But thanks for the heads up Loki.

IAN

[Asad Khawer]

I think another update fixed the issue Ian. :)

[jwenting]

excellent example of the old addage "you get what you pay for"...

[loki]

Similar events have happened to McAfee and one or two other commercial anti-virus apps as well.

[angels355]

This is the only problem I've come across w/ AVG in the approx 3 (?) years I've been using it. I was very glad to switch from AVAST to AVG as at that time AVAST was a pain in the neck to register, and there were many little quirks and problems using it on win 98/se/me, was glad to also discontinue using Corporate Semantec which never found one threat.

I'd like to get Nod32 and kapersky but am on a budget. If I can take the time to figure out how to do dialup on linux then I'll switch and have better security to begin with. My neighbors with Vista, in ordinary use they accumulated in excess of 250 infections, I cleaned them out for them. They have OEM Vista, good thing that it didn't require a reinstall of OEM Vista as I understand that there is a restriction on the number of times it can be installed without having to buy another license; don't know if they are going to strictly enforce that. Their laptop was nearly new. I liked Vista, I really did, but am interested in Win 7. The most important thing I use windows for is flight simulator, and at the immediate moment dialup access to the internet. Flight simulator is my critical application where I can't do without windows. I'm told that Wine-X will run windows games but haven't looked into it yet, same with Crossover X, probably not every game will work on it. Sometimes flight simulator will barely run on windows! Another critical need for windows is video drivers, I've seen the difference it makes, and a bad video driver on a lesser OS is not a pretty picture. I mention OS's here because different OS's have differing security vulnerabilities, for example two years ago zdnet.com said that OSX 10.4 had seven internet threats total. Friend of mine with a Mac Power Book I think it's called, has run his computer and OSX 10.4 for about 4 or 5 years nonstop in heavy usage, and operates a modest website with a fair amount of business with his Mac Power Book, and he has had no problems and no viruses at all running without an antivirus program. Just my 37 cents worth.

[barty]

I think I may be making the switch back to AVG myself. Avast's regular re-registration process is tiresome. Of course I allegedly have free access to McAfee's software through Comcast, so I might check that out too,though I'm wary about how much of a resource hog McAfee is these days.

[loki]

After the rash of false positives AVG has had lately, I would put up with the yearly registration of Avast.

http://blogs.chron.com/techblog/archives/2008/11/yet_another_avg_false_alarm_time_for_an_alter_1.html

[angels355]

I think I may be making the switch back to AVG myself. Avast's regular re-registration process is tiresome. Of course I allegedly have free access to McAfee's software through Comcast, so I might check that out too,though I'm wary about how much of a resource hog McAfee is these days.

McAfee--blah! :(

I've been lucky nothing detected false or true on 7.5 and 98se.