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False Positive on Software (Generic.Dx) by McAfee Today: McAfee Response and Fix

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mouser:
No one expects 100% perfect detection.

What i do expect is:
1) a reasonable amount of care and intelligence when adding new signatures.
2) an appropriate message to the user, something like:
"A file on your computer which was previously reported as fine has matched a brand new untested pattern in our database.  There is a reasonable chance that this is a false alarm on our part.  If you are confident that the program is safe, press this button to keep using it.  If you are unsure, press this button to quarantine the program and be informed in a few days when we determine for sure whether the program is dangerous or not.  Click here to view detailed information about the pattern found."

drpeterharris:
I agree.  However I suspect that McAfee will say that what happens when a suspected virus is found is up to the user.  There are usually options to be alerted/quarantine/delete permanently.

They will then hide behind the fact that what happens is the responsibility of the end user

No comfort to me though as the end users don't quite see it like that  :(

Another interesting point is that the risk identified in my files by McAfee this time is "MalWarrior".   However searching the risk database at McAfee doesnt find it and googling shows that MalWarrior is actually a rogue anti-spyware application.  I cannot quite see how any of my applications can be confused with an antispyware application (rogue or otherwise)

Peter

Dormouse:
I just had a thought.. should we actually try to organize a "official" boycott/protest against McAfee?-mouser (April 11, 2008, 03:58 AM)
--- End quote ---
But doesn't anyone with any sense/knowledge avoid McAfee anyway?

drpeterharris:
Sadly we are talking about the UK NHS IT project here.  £14bn ($27bn) spent on the largest IT project in the world.  It doesnt work properly and as you have so correctly observed it uses C**p software. 

The project is so advanced that it doesnt work with IE7 and everyone has to use IE6 or it crashes.

So everyone has managed McAfee installed which then makes a dogs dinner of the job it's meant to do

Sigh . . .   :'(

Peter

cranioscopical:
But doesn't anyone with any sense/knowledge avoid McAfee anyway?
-Dormouse (April 11, 2008, 03:21 PM)
--- End quote ---

Speaking as one who is ill equipped to enter a battle of wits, I must protest on behalf of myself and the rest of the WOODen tops. 
We in the World Organization Of Dopes fail to see why people without sense and/or knowledge in this area should be penalized.

We're the very people most likely to be spooked into turning away in fear from perfectly respectable, legitimate, safe software.
More importantly, we are the most susceptible to inheriting items such as McAfee through slick marketing techniques.

It's also true that this kind of issue emanates from most, if not all, A-V vendors at some point.

Perhaps it's because I've seen a few issues lately, but I have a sense that the problem is increasing.
Maybe it's just that more and more insidious stuff is being released into the wild...?

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