Security Software Does the Opposite

Security software, such as antivirus, is supposed to prevent infection and keep our machines up and running -- just like a good tune-up on the family Caravan.

But an antivirus update from McAfee has the opposite effect. It made XP-based machines crash more than XP itself (I've had a million XP machines and it is the NASCAR of operating systems)!

This glitch only impacts VirusScan Enterprise customers and concerns its new virus definition "DAT 5958" which mistakenly believes that a key Windows file is itself a virus (given my XP reboot problems over the years, DAT 5958 may just be right!).

With the Window's driver file disabled, XP goes into a never ending cycle of rebooting (that sounds like my old Amiga 3000).

McFee is building a new virus definition file that should make XP crash at its normal rate.

What is your favorite antivirus tool? Is XP as reckless as I think or I am just a poor administrator of my own PCs? Let 'er rip at dbarney@redmondmag.com.

Posted by Doug Barney on April 23, 2010 at 11:53 AM