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Thread: McAfee Takes Down Windows XP Computers Across The Globe

  1. #1
    Senior Member wiskic10_4's Avatar
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    Talking McAfee Takes Down Windows XP Computers Across The Globe

    My friend, who works at a large hospital, called me this morning to alert me that a "bad virus" had taken down all of the hospital computers, and that it was happening across the nation.

    I was busy w/ work, so I didn't have time to check into it. But when I got home, I found out that the problem with the computers wasn't a virus at all, but an antivirus.

    Check it out: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-20003074-83.html

    Evidently McAfee released an update for its antivirus software this morning that flagged svchost as a malicious file, and sent Windows XP computers into an infinite reboot cycle.

    Gotta love those high-dollar corporate AV solutions.
    My Corner of the Intarwebz: Jeremy Dean Online

  2. #2
    Senior Member nihil's Avatar
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    BitDefender had a similar problem a few weeks back. Other big names have also had their problems in the past, which makes me wonder how they do their testing.....?

    As far as I can see all they would have to have done is apply the update to a Windows XP SP3 machine and they would have seen the problem? after all, svchost.exe is pretty fundamental to Windows and XP is currently the most widely used version of MS operating systems.

    I can understand problems with obscure applications, as they cannot test every possible combination, but to fail on a core element of the most widely used OS.................

    Not that the users are without sin...........I was always taught to test updates on a reference machine before deploying, and still do that on a non-critical machine in the home environment.

    It is a good argument for using "quarantine" rather than "delete" then you can at least see what has happened. Another advantage of quarantine is you can assess the potential impact of the infection and decide if a reformat & reinstall is needed.
    Last edited by nihil; April 22nd, 2010 at 07:08 AM.

  3. #3
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    a couple months ago avast did the same thing
    HACK THE PLANET!!!!!!!!!!!

  4. #4
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    That's an EPIC screw up for McAfee, you'd think the blocking of malicious files or saying that any file would have to go through some sort of review process?

    I particularly like the way they downplay its affect. "We are not aware of significant impact on consumers," the company said in a statement sent to CNET at 2 p.m. PT

    lol I only ran over 3 people on the way to work today.

    --edit

    Ahh much better

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/04...epair_invoice/
    Last edited by Scoota; April 26th, 2010 at 04:49 PM.

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