Flawed Symantec Update Cripples PCs

[HardOCP News]

According to the Chinese Internet Security Response Team, a antivirus signature update from Symantec mistakenly quarantined two critical system files in the Chinese version of Windows XP crippling computers across the country. Oops.

Norton Antivirus, Norton Internet Security 2007 and Norton 360 users who installed an antivirus signature update released by Symantec on May 17 could not reboot their PCs. The update reportedly mistook two Windows system files--"netapi32.dll" and "lsasrv.dll"--as the Backdoor.Haxdoo Trojan horse. The two files were subsequently quarantined.

 

[markt435]

yay...another reason not to use Norton

 

[GJSNeptune]

I'm pretty sure Symantec cripples PCs by merely existing on them.

 

[HardOCP News]

LOL!

 

[WarMace]

"After our proactive solutions, we have cut the amount of PC's in China reporting infections by more than half." -Symantec

 

[Fooshnik]

Way to stick it to the communists!

 

[GJSNeptune]

The update reportedly mistook two Windows system files--"netapi32.dll" and "lsasrv.dll"--as the Backdoor.Haxdoo Trojan horse. The two files were subsequently quarantined.

C'mon, you can't hold that against Symantec. They couldn't reboot their computers in time to patch the update.

 

[Mister Natural]

I'm pretty sure Symantec cripples PCs by merely existing on them.

Indeed,

Since it occurred in China they were probably all pirated versions of Windows XP anyway, so what's the big deal?

 

[deeznuts]

Indeed,

Since it occurred in China they were probably all pirated versions of Windows XP anyway, so what's the big deal?

Lol.

I use Kaspersky now.

 

[xX_Jack_Carver_Xx]

That's "Karma is a bitch" in soooo many ways

 

[Nemesis999]

I'm pretty sure Symantec cripples PCs by merely existing on them.

I forgot to uninstall the crap after reimaging my laptop once. It more the TRIPLED the time to fully patch Windows.

Symantec makes such crap.

 

[Servant of Shodan]

Verrry interesting. Perhaps the US Department of Defense should look into this type of thing as a method of cyber-warfare. Just imagine: the US govt. could executive-order or wartime-mandate McAfee or Symantec or any US-based company to send out a country-targeted "update" and screw up a huge number of PCs.

 

[OddBal]

Since 98% of software in China is pirated anyway I could care less.. I hope it happens again.

 

[cliche]

Indeed,

Since it occurred in China they were probably all pirated versions of Windows XP anyway, so what's the big deal?

2 damn good points.

 

[provoko]

Symantec sucks, i've wasted too munh money on their crappy unsecurity software.

 

[GJSNeptune]

Fortunately, my only experience with Symantec was free through my university.

Unfortunately, I had an experience with Symantec.

 

[Christopher1]

yay...another reason not to use Norton

I wouldn't say that!

McAfee had the same problem not too long ago, as have Panda Antivirus and one other that I can't remember the name of.

With all the bad things that I have heard about Norton, I honestly haven't seen ONE come true on my machine. The one time that I thought Norton was causing problems, it turned out that my hard drive was going the way of the dodo, and dying as I frantically tried to fix my machine.