Mmmm... Symantic.. Crap bloatware.

/dnrtfa

It's a freeeeeee riiiide, when you are already there..

If only they had some sort of software that would stop these sorts of things from happening. You know, stuff that could anticipate an attack vector and stop intruders before they caused any damage. I bet a company like that would pay big money for a program like that.

And not a single fark was given.

Fail tag for the headline?

Indian military hacked, source from the late 90's exposed, no shiats are given

FTFY

It's a good thing I use Windows Defender!

"potentially giving rivals some insight into the company's technology."

Why would rivals want insight into technology that let's a PC get infected then tells the user the machine is infected?

/Used Symantec at work.
//Finally manged to get rid of it all.

I use MS Security Essentials and have never looked back. No more Kapersky, Norton, etc....

pecosdave: I stopped using Ghost a short time after Symantec/Norton bought it.

I, except for a one month experiment or so in 98, never used an anti-virus on my own stuff (and never got a virus)

I quit using Windows all together sometime in 2000 (started to slowly move away in 98)

My secondary job often consist of taking care of problems caused by crap like this.

In other words:

I'm okay with this!

You're so awesome how you don't use mainstream stuff, how can I be more like you?

cmunic8r99: doglover: Have you ever had that shiatty software on your computer? If so, you know I'm right.

Having administered enterprise versions of Symantec, McAfee, and TrendMicro for both servers, mail, and endpoints, i've found it's not the best (TrendMicro) or the worst (McAfee).

I've done Symantec, McAfee, Eset, and Sophos.

McAfee is the only one that's a real pain in the ass to manage. I've never seen such a goddamned convoluted mess to get clients to install and update properly.

Shameless plug, but I've used this for a couple of years now:

Eset (new window)

Ever since Symantec got fat and Kaspersky couldn't handle it's own security.

My company uses Symantec. Monday should be fun. I get to watch all the corporate boobs run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

hmm their stock is only slightly down this morning.

cmunic8r99: Having administered enterprise versions of Symantec, McAfee, and TrendMicro for both servers, mail, and endpoints, i've found it's not the best (TrendMicro) or the worst (McAfee).

A few years ago, my mom bought a computer that came with a trial version of Symantec/Norton. One day, she could no longer connect to the internet and asked if I could take a look. I finally figured out that the trial had expired AND took the internet connection with it! I had to download a hack (with my computer) to rip Symantec's dead claws away from mom's internet connection. We both run Avast! now. (That Boot-time Scan can't be beat.)

mr_a: Hard to believe that they sell enough software to the Indian military to justify handing over their source code...might want to rethink that one.

Congrats on being the Boobieser who actually read TFA. It would seem to me that in any government application, it's the software company that needs to drive the security policy for thei own data. There isn't a bureaucracy in the world that can be trusted with proprietary information.

/ I use Norton, mostly because it's free and I don't peruse the evil fringes of the web. I only get attack warnings from one site. I wonder which one it is.

jso2897: Honest Bender: And not a single fark was given.

Pretty much. As far as I can see, Symantec is little more than a legal protection racket, and it is impossible for me to care what happens to them.

It appears there's a lot of people out there who would be considered Anti-Symantec.

Stop running under an Administrator account = stop getting viruses.

Also helps if you mount all but the Windows and Program Files directories as non-executable.

What are these things you people speak of?

signed,
Mac user

Pilotgeek: Stop running under an Administrator account = stop getting viruses.

That's actually dumber than telling someone to get a Mac because they don't get viruses....

I like Symantec. Not to use their products, but I like them for parting idiots and their money.

WhyteRaven74: Pilotgeek: Stop running under an Administrator account = stop getting viruses.

That's actually dumber than telling someone to get a Mac because they don't get viruses....

I've got some old virus software and some swamp land in Florida I'm looking to sell. You know you want them.

here's what I do to protect myself. I have a backup. I can format and restore in minutes if need be. I don't do any online business (banking,e-commerce) on my "browsing" machine. the machine I use to purchase items with online is offline until I need to use it just for purchases. I use an exclusive secure email for all critical correspondence. I use throwaway emails for signing up for things that might produce spam or phishing attempts. I run Avast and standard windows firewall/malware protection. and I have encryption on my router. that's it. my browsing machine contains no "real" personal data. if it were compromised it would yield nothing. and would only take me an hour at best to wipe and restore. on this machine I will walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil. for I have nothing to lose.

Maus III: I use MS Security Essentials and have never looked back. No more Kapersky, Norton, etc....

CSB:

Before getting MSE, I chose to run my machine, after deleting my Norton completely, for a whole month with no protection (Norton was a 90 day trial, popup every 30mins telling me I was unprotected and should prolly spend $$$ before my computer DIED A TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE DEATH!!!)

After that month, I installed MSE, ran it's update, then full scan, only to find....nothing. Nothing.

Norton told me it saved my computer from 'serious threats' at least four times a day. I mean, my sordid surfing habits haven't changed, nor my browser choice, so I ask:

WHAR WORMZTROJANZOMGWTFBBQ, NORTIN? WHAR?!?

Hobodeluxe: here's what I do to protect myself. I have a backup. I can format and restore in minutes if need be. I don't do any online business (banking,e-commerce) on my "browsing" machine. the machine I use to purchase items with online is offline until I need to use it just for purchases. I use an exclusive secure email for all critical correspondence. I use throwaway emails for signing up for things that might produce spam or phishing attempts. I run Avast and standard windows firewall/malware protection. and I have encryption on my router. that's it. my browsing machine contains no "real" personal data. if it were compromised it would yield nothing. and would only take me an hour at best to wipe and restore. on this machine I will walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil. for I have nothing to lose.

Yeah, but are you behind seven proxies?

If only somebody could invent some kind of software that could be used to decompile what the software they alread have in their posession is doing so that people would not have to resort to stealing the actual source code. That would be so useful.

BarbadoSlim: Hobodeluxe: here's what I do to protect myself. I have a backup. I can format and restore in minutes if need be. I don't do any online business (banking,e-commerce) on my "browsing" machine. the machine I use to purchase items with online is offline until I need to use it just for purchases. I use an exclusive secure email for all critical correspondence. I use throwaway emails for signing up for things that might produce spam or phishing attempts. I run Avast and standard windows firewall/malware protection. and I have encryption on my router. that's it. my browsing machine contains no "real" personal data. if it were compromised it would yield nothing. and would only take me an hour at best to wipe and restore. on this machine I will walk through the valley of the shadow of death and fear no evil. for I have nothing to lose.

Yeah, but are you behind seven proxies?

I'm behind 20 myself because I like to be really safe. I made them all myself too with old computers and a lot of network cable, so there's a big long chain of computers between my real computer and my router to the outside world. This plan cannot fail!

Oh, and for the snobs out there running Apple or Linux who think they do not need AV software, thanks for being a reservoir of infection and passing on infected emails and files that you never scan.

/bunch of typhoid Marys
//or HIV Deans

or GTFO.

/currently posting from my linux box

Benjimin_Dover: If only somebody could invent some kind of software that could be used to decompile what the software they alread have in their posession is doing so that people would not have to resort to stealing the actual source code. That would be so useful.

If you understood programming and compilers you'd understand why that doesn't work reliably.

"Microsoft Corp, for example, in 2003 began allowing governments including Russia and international organizations such as NATO to look at the source code for its Windows operating system to dispel rumors that it had a secret "back door" built in to let the U.S. government spy on its users."

Please this was their way of getting the source code info to spy on others, tricky, tricky......

Honest Bender: Benjimin_Dover: If only somebody could invent some kind of software that could be used to decompile what the software they alread have in their posession is doing so that people would not have to resort to stealing the actual source code. That would be so useful.

If you understood programming and compilers you'd understand why that doesn't work reliably.

I know ALL about programming. Basicaly you take an .EXE file (or unix equivalent) and go "vi FILE" or "edlin FILE" whatevah u use. and change the hex bytes by holding down ALT and typing in the 3 letter ascii
this is done 1000's of times per file (once per byte)
until you have a "compiled" program

then push ALT-S
or unix equivalent (i don't use)

and bingo

C:\> program (.exe is optional)
press enter

BINGO

cmunic8r99: doglover: Who uses Norton anymore? Is it '96 again?

only about a gazillion enterprises use Symantec's antivirus/anti-malware applications for mail, server, and endpoint protection

that's the problem. these companies (symantec and Mcafee) pander to corporations like a 2 dollar whore, and the non-tech guy in charge thinks it sounds good. at the same time they do fark all for real security. the threats have changed. today's hackers often just take advantage of the idiots running the show. it makes no sense to spend time breaking down a firewall and finding holes when the idiot who set it up didn't password protect the right stuff or uses a shiatty password. same goes for home use. why write a good virus when you just got to trick somebody into clicking something or installing a "cute" desktop "Package". hell in many cases i see open wireless networks tied to sensitive machines on the network. because more people use computers today and most of those users have little knowledge i have seen security threats take advantage of the new crowd's lack of common computer sense.

these days you just need access and a very small flash disk. information stolen, easy. hell, get a good old boy drunk and steal it. symantec can't do much about that

Norton and the like have their uses, but it is often simply misused. it is one of the first things i go over a client with on a job.

good security practices and up to date knowledge far out weights any over hyped software. if you want your stuff secure it is easy, but there are practices you MUST fallow to the T or it does no good. the best bank vault in the world is still garbage if they use a password like 12345.

if anything i find this work far easier now than i did 10 years ago. most of my work is education on security practices.