AV applications obsolete?
Well, this year's blackhat produced one or two amusing items. The "race to zero" contest being one? That's the one where you have to obfuscate really old malware to pass the latest AVs.
http://www.securityfocus.com/news/11531
What really creased me up was that Symantec obviously didn't want to play the game fairly?
Me// I would just install DOS 5.0 (a well known malware:lildevil:) and run what I liked; knowing that none of the AVs or security suites could handle it :D
Linux has its problems too!
"I vote everyone moves to Linux and forces software developers to move with us!"
Linux has problems too.
For example, see this: http://www.cs.arizona.edu/people/jus...-managers.html
Recently I stopped using antivirus software. Part of the decision came from wanting to ditch the system overhead. And there was another reason I won't get into to. I figured that updating, careful monitoring of what I download and install, and use of Vista's User Account Control and Data Execution Prevention techniques will keep me out of trouble. When I used XP I used an ordinary user account the vast majority of the time. I for one appreciate this new feature of Vista. I do use the free version of BitDefender to scan stuff I download from the Internet, and I have Windows Defender running.
(However, recently I read about this new possible area of exploits for Vista (however I believe some of it could also apply to Linux systems which use AppArmor and SELinux and the like).
http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com...324395,00.html
Needless to say I'm interested in what comes of this.)
I've also read that malware writers test their exploits against different AV suites to make sure it works. I think I agree with those who say AV software can give a false sense of security.