AVG: third false alarm in past month

VopThis · #1 (**permalink**) 23-11-2008, 10:48 PM

AVG slaps Trojan label on Adobe Flash ? The Register

identified CheckPoint’s Zone Alarm as a Trojan.
identified Adobe Flash as potentially malicious.
bogus Trojan warning on a core Windows component – causing potential subsequent boot failure.

More and more tools do not deserve to be trusted without question. On my PCs:

‘ThreatFire’ removed (without asking) major components of ‘MozyHome – an online backup system - making it completely unusable.
My USB external drives would always refuse to eject/unload on my notebook when requested.
'PrevxCSI' finds a malware instance in both XP and Vista (dual boot PC) which are both clearly ‘SoundBlaster’ related files – no confirmation of such a determination is reported in any other tool at ‘VirusTotal’. This has been the case for months, now.

Such tools increasingly need to have their findings validated or their continued use re-evaluated. NOTE: Unproven and/or evolving tools may have unknown and undesirable issues.

I had always known Threatfire’ (TF) to be an aggressive tool. Following the neutralization of my online backup application, MozyHome, I decided to uninstall TF which also cleared up several strange additional issues that had also been present for quit some time – an unexpected bonus result:

High-end notebook had been frequently booting to a blank screen unless opening log in screen allowed sufficient time to load many initial startup programs or often a log off/re-log on required – overall excessive boot up time – now mostly resolved.
USB external drives now ‘eject’ properly when requested.

TaZMAn · #2 (**permalink**) 24-11-2008, 12:16 AM

I'd be concerned about AVG.
They have had their share of problems.
The most recent problem before this one caused AVG to think a Windows system file was a virus.
After it removed the 'virus' the computer could no longer boot up.
You can read it here;
AVG Causes Problems

Most of the free virus scanners do an okay job but are usually slow on getting updated definitions, are prone to false positives while some are over aggressive.

My customers have had very good results with Nod32.
Kaspersky is also good but it seems to use a lot of resources and slows the computer down.

I have never heard of or used ThreatFire or Previx so I can't comment on them but I never liked any antivirus program that decided for me to remove a file with out my permission.
Almost sounds like a rogue software!

In the business of attempting to be the best antivirus software, many are becoming overbearing and lock down the system to an almost unusable state.

Dan Penny · #3 (**permalink**) 24-11-2008, 02:59 AM

I used to use AVG, up until 6.0 I think. Then, when it went to 7.0 (which I believe) was designed around XP (and I was still running 98SE) I started to experience problems with it. Clunky interface, updating problems, etc, etc.

That's when (after Google searches) for freeware A-V programs, I discovered avast!. I took the plunge and never looked back since then. It just runs, gives you a brief update as to new versions, then goes away again.

I've never had a virus/trojan (to clarify: with any AV program), probably because I never go to questionable sites. Geek that I am, I just go to help forums, and manufacturers sites for drivers/information etc to help people out.

VopThis · #4 (**permalink**) 24-11-2008, 05:01 AM

Quote:

I've never had a virus/trojan (to clarify: with any AV program), probably because I never go to questionable sites.

Since that is typically my experience with all malware, I tend to extensively and initially doubt any occasional findings until researched further.

Taz,
Your link is also referring to the very same item issues as found in my link.

Digerati · #5 (**permalink**) 24-11-2008, 03:48 PM

The deal with AVG 7 was they started to bundle (foist) all the extra stuff, including an AS, toolbars are other stuff. Following the industry trend, they are shoving us towards suites, a trend I don't like. I think it is still a good product, and I currently use the paid version of AVG 8. AVG has had an excellent track record but I am losing faith, and I have been looking at alternatives for when my license expires next year should they continue to test my loyalty with these obvious examples of inadequate testing.

All these makers are under pressure to release updates as quickly as possible to minimize the impact of new threats and I can expect an occasional false positive (and why I never allow anything to auto-delete) but breaking Windows is not cool.

bkdc · #6 (**permalink**) 25-11-2008, 08:29 PM

Like Dan Penny I made the switch to Avast. I switched over two years ago, use it on four PCs running XP-sp3 and so far I have had zero problems.

Update to virus database occur almost daily. The only requirement is an annual requstration for the FREE version.

Digerati · #7 (**permalink**) 26-11-2008, 02:02 PM

Quote:

but I never liked any antivirus program that decided for me to remove a file with out my permission.

I don't either, but then I don't know any that do - unless the user configures it to auto-delete. All that I know quarantine the file, or at least prompt the user for instructions to ignore, quarantine, or delete.