Flawed AVG antivirus update cripples Windows XP PCs

[Stretch]

A flawed signature update to AVG Technologies' antivirus software over the weekend crippled some Windows XP PCs by mistakenly deleting a critical system file, the company has confirmed.
Techworld - Flawed AVG antivirus update cripples Windows XP PCs

 

[scratch]

A flawed signature update to AVG Technologies' antivirus software over the weekend crippled some Windows XP PCs by mistakenly deleting a critical system file, the company has confirmed.
Techworld - Flawed AVG antivirus update cripples Windows XP PCs

G'Day Stretch,

One can always rely on MicroSoft for breaking news!

scratch

 

[SirJosephPorter]

I have Norton anti-virus. Last year, my computer downloaded a Windows update from Microsoft. I don’t know what the problem with the update was, but it wouldn’t load the anti-virus properly when you turned on the computer.

It would disable the monitoring of internet content for virus as it is downloaded, thereby making internet risky to use. Norton wrote a patch, but it didn’t do a whole lot. The only way to load the anti-virus properly was to reinstall it.

I got around that by not turning off the computer, but by putting it in hibernation. When you put it in hibernation, the computer saves all the settings it needs to restart the computer; it doesn’t have to start from scratch. Then when you turn on the computer, it simply reloads the settings. If Norton was loaded properly when it went into hibernation, it would also load properly when you turn on the computer.

This went on for a few months, until one day computer downloaded another Windows update from Microsoft, which fixed the problem.

 

[Scott Free]

I have never had any luck with AVG.

 

[Praxius]

Funny, AVG is the only one I never had any issues with yet. I have it on a Vista machine and works just fine..... my Gf's laptop is XP and runs AVG and I haven't heard of any issues with her system.

Are you sure they're not just full of crap?

 

[Risus]

I have never had any luck with AVG.

You get what you pay for....

 

[MHz]

Linux is immune to viruses so you don't need anti-virus programs.
Windows was soo bad I had to install an up-to-date anti-virus before I even connected a new install to the net or it had so many that I couldn't install an anti program. Now all that spent time is free time.

 

[scratch]

Linux is immune to viruses so you don't need anti-virus programs.
Windows was soo bad I had to install an up-to-date anti-virus before I even connected a new install to the net or it had so many that I couldn't install an anti program. Now all that spent time is free time.

Add another one for Linux.

 

[Ron in Regina]

There's an ugly malware going around called (among other variations of the name) "Antivirus 2009" that
I picked up on the weekend (from a news site for the S'toon newspaper) and it was a real bear to get
rid of....It was in the Microsoft colors and with the Microsoft emblem (I'm using XP) and when it popped
up, I had a choice of "YES or NO" so I clicked no...and it downloaded anyway.

This thing has nothing to do with Microsoft at all, and I learned after some reading that if you ever see this
thing, immediately hit CNT/ALT/DEL as the choice of "YES or NO" will download this thing regardless
of your choice. What it does (& it looks very real and very Microsoft) is to continually pop open telling you
that your Firewall is off, and that you computer is infected with all kinds of weird sh*t that just isn't happening.
It wants you to buy the registration #, etc...it uses the microsoft icons in your bar (the red shield and it's icon
when it pops open is the Microsoft icon) so it looks like the real deal.

This thing had multiple processes running and wouldn't let you delete it. It wouldn't show up in the "Add &
Delete" programs area...and it was a general pain in the @ss. AVG wouldn't even pick this thing up, let along
delete it...I did find and crush this thing but it was a long and ugly process with lots of trial & error. I do have
the steps to kill this thing, and if anyone picks this up, PM me and I'll forward you the steps and a link to the
program that actually worked. You'll be in and out of Safe Mode with many Reboots, but it works. Restoring
your computer to an earlier date is a waste of time so don't bother. Everyone and their dog is willing to sell you
something that might remove this thing, but I found one that costs nothing...and works.

 

[scratch]

There's an ugly malware going around called (among other variations of the name) "Antivirus 2009" that
I picked up on the weekend (from a news site for the S'toon newspaper) and it was a real bear to get
rid of....It was in the Microsoft colors and with the Microsoft emblem (I'm using XP) and when it popped
up, I had a choice of "YES or NO" so I clicked no...and it downloaded anyway.

This thing has nothing to do with Microsoft at all, and I learned after some reading that if you ever see this
thing, immediately hit CNT/ALT/DEL as the choice of "YES or NO" will download this thing regardless
of your choice. What it does (& it looks very real and very Microsoft) is to continually pop open telling you
that your Firewall is off, and that you computer is infected with all kinds of weird sh*t that just isn't happening.
It wants you to buy the registration #, etc...it uses the microsoft icons in your bar (the red shield and it's icon
when it pops open is the Microsoft icon) so it looks like the real deal.

This thing had multiple processes running and wouldn't let you delete it. It wouldn't show up in the "Add &
Delete" programs area...and it was a general pain in the @ss. AVG wouldn't even pick this thing up, let along
delete it...I did find and crush this thing but it was a long and ugly process with lots of trial & error. I do have
the steps to kill this thing, and if anyone picks this up, PM me and I'll forward you the steps and a link to the
program that actually worked. You'll be in and out of Safe Mode with many Reboots, but it works. Restoring
your computer to an earlier date is a waste of time so don't bother. Everyone and their dog is willing to sell you
something that might remove this thing, but I found one that costs nothing...and works.

Ron,

With all due respect to you and your solution to rectify this, why should you or anyone else have to. I do not care what is out there in terms of anti-virus or whatever else.
Install Firefox, it's free and upgraded regularly.
You may have solved this one but a lot more are coming and will be more sophisticated and you will not have the knowledge about how to solve `them`.
Just an observation.

Sincere Regards,
scratch

 

[Zzarchov]

Linux is immune to viruses so you don't need anti-virus programs.
Windows was soo bad I had to install an up-to-date anti-virus before I even connected a new install to the net or it had so many that I couldn't install an anti program. Now all that spent time is free time.

Ug, Linux is not immune to Viruses, nor are Mac's or other Apple O/S.

No one bothers to write viruses for Linux (or Apple) because they are too rare to spread effectively between systems.

Linux has the additional strength (over Apple, which now has some viruses as it gains in popularity) that only people who are technologically savy tend to run Linux, and are thus far less likely to get a virus (making it harder to spread).

They are not immune to Viruses, and most comp-sci students could write one in 20 minutes. The problem is most linux users would be too wary, and even if one was stupid, the systems are too infrequent for it to spread like windows viruses can.

 

[scratch]

Ug, Linux is not immune to Viruses, nor are Mac's or other Apple O/S.

No one bothers to write viruses for Linux (or Apple) because they are too rare to spread effectively between systems.

Linux has the additional strength (over Apple, which now has some viruses as it gains in popularity) that only people who are technologically savy tend to run Linux, and are thus far less likely to get a virus (making it harder to spread).

They are not immune to Viruses, and most comp-sci students could write one in 20 minutes. The problem is most linux users would be too wary, and even if one was stupid, the systems are too infrequent for it to spread like windows viruses can.

I beg to differ, I have a Linux based Ubuntu system and it has been running constantly (over 1400 applications) for almost two years now and has never been affected by anything.

May viruses continue to flourish with MicroCrap.

 

[lone wolf]

I beg to differ, I have a Linux based Ubuntu system and it has been running constantly (over 1400 applications) for almost two years now and has never been affected by anything.

May viruses continue to flourish with MicroCrap.

Try wading through a site infected with viruses written for your system. If you're still bulletproof, let us know.

 

[scratch]

Try wading through a site infected with viruses written for your system. If you're still bulletproof, let us know.

It's been tried by my Ubuntu expert and passed with flying colours.
Thank you very much.

 

[lone wolf]

It's been tried by my Ubuntu expert and passed with flying colours.
Thank you very much.

You're quite welcome;-)

 

[Ron in Regina]

Ron,

With all due respect to you and your solution to rectify this, why should you or anyone else have to. I do not care what is out there in terms of anti-virus or whatever else.
Install Firefox, it's free and upgraded regularly.
You may have solved this one but a lot more are coming and will be more sophisticated and you will not have the knowledge about how to solve `them`.
Just an observation.

Sincere Regards,
scratch

Honestly Scratch, I didn't have the knowledge about how to solve this one, and thus all the
trial & error I went through. The thing I am though is tenacious and persistent. I "thought" I
was fairly well protected with AVG & Ad-Aware & some Pop-Up Blocker & a Firewall
& System Mechanic & and and...the fact that I update and run everything regularly...Oh well....

I'll check out this Firefox thing, and I appreciate the guidance.

 

[scratch]

You're quite welcome;-)

Just to let you know I get daily system and security upgrades sent to me over the net free of charge.

On other important point: I am constantly warned by Firefox that a second or third party individual has tried to crack my system and it has been prevented by Firefox.

Last point on the test: I had all 32 windows up and running when my Ubuntu guy tried to crack my system. You think the system was spread thinly? Firefox picked up every attempt with a `SEVERE WARNING`

How can I go wrong.

regards,
scratch

 

[MHz]

Call me a liar, it is no longer virus-proof.
If this is the 1st then it was upto that point. This is just the system files, 3rd party software can also be a security threat (anything that has access to communication hardware).
(in part)
"The first Linux virus first surfaced "in the wild" this year, demonstrating the real fact that protecting a system operating on Linux is now imperative. In order to fairly determine that preventative measures are the best treatment, Linux Computing conducted its own independent anti-virus test for the Linux server version."
Viruslist.com - Anti-Virus Linux Virus-Proof!

The server edition (business) of linux is much more secure. Down to very basic graphics system and very limited commands access.

 

[scratch]

Call me a liar, it is no longer virus-proof.
If this is the 1st then it was upto that point. This is just the system files, 3rd party software can also be a security threat (anything that has access to communication hardware).
(in part)
"The first Linux virus first surfaced "in the wild" this year, demonstrating the real fact that protecting a system operating on Linux is now imperative. In order to fairly determine that preventative measures are the best treatment, Linux Computing conducted its own independent anti-virus test for the Linux server version."
Viruslist.com - Anti-Virus Linux Virus-Proof!

The server edition (business) of linux is much more secure. Down to very basic graphics system and very limited commands access.

Well MHz I have the server addition (BOM) ergo no problems.

I downloaded another upgrade to Firefox early this morning and a newer version of SpamAssassin along with 12 other system and internal security upgrades.

In my opinion the easiest and safest thing to do with a computer, regardless of the brand is to save everything to Floppy or CD/DVD
and reload what you need to use the next time you use your computer. I do not trust computers. Never have, even Ubuntu.

For a few minutes of your time to do this you have possibly saved yourself a world of woes.

The last point that I will make is this: each morning I do a log check, then a synaptic manager check etc., to make sure my system is ready to go.

Just an observation. Better safe than sorry.
regards,
scratch

 

[#juan]

Just a bit of info:

The problem only affects users of the Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish language versions of Windows XP, according to the company. English versions of AVG are not affected.

I've used AVG for over ten years without a problem. Still haven't had a problem.....;-)