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Anti-Virus Actually Pro-Virus?

There is a found flaw in many anti-virus tools that actually provides a perfect entrée for hackers to spread, you guessed it, viruses!

The flaw was found by security concern Matousec, with whom Microsoft is now working with to close the hole. The exposure comes through "hooking," where anti-virus vendors modify the Windows kernel to tie in more tightly.

Access the kernel is the Holy Grail for hackers, and apparently software from Symantec, Trend Micros, McAfee and Sophos all allow this to happen.Some security firms are downplaying the concerns, claiming these attacks are so difficult to pull off as to be a non-issue.

What do you think? Are security firms doing all they can to protect you? Send your answer to my real hopefully unattacked e-mail address of dbarney@redmondmag.

Posted by Doug Barney on May 21, 2010


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