Authentium - Benefit Or Parasite ?

[Kas]

I have been the lucky beneficiary if a magnificent additive to my program package of an obscure resident called AUTHENTIUM. Rather like those foreign lottery scams, where you glibly take part and lose your home as a result.

Where did it come from ? I never invited it into my home. Is it a cybernetic poltergeist ?

I have a shrewd suspicion that Microsoft in their loving and caring way of looking after our every needs, implanted this obscene object on my system, as it has done with everybody else.

I gather it is some Earth shattering anti-virus exterminator, but I have no indication that it ever does anything but cause a nuisance and be a redundant piece of rubbish on my hardware disk. It appears completely speechless and conspicuous by it`s absence.

One anti-virus supplier even told me to get rid of it, because it was causing conflict with their own program. I think it was Spybot.

As it is a Microsoft parasitic infestation in all Windows XP versions and probably others too, can anybody tell me what exactly it does and why the thing exists at all ? Can I delete it without incurring the wrath of Microsoft and suffering the curse of Allah ?
KAS

[vijayind]

Authentium is AV/Security vendor that uses F-Prot engine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authentium

If you got one of their products, its probably legit.

[raven211]

Okay, so here is a funny thing... (or? :P) If Authentium indeed uses F-Prot, it's pretty weird AV-Comparatives are including Command Anti-Malware, but NOT F-Prot in their testing! Have FRISK themselves decided to not participate?

[vijayind]

I think FRISK pulled out last year itself from AV-Comparitives after they became a paid test.

For details on Authentium's use of F-Prot 6 engine, see this thread:
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=180126

[raven211]

But AV-Comparatives still have rules for their participants, right? A lot are still participating (paying), though.

[vijayind]

It the AV vendors choice. Some like Panda feel tests are baised and others don't want to pick up the bill.

[ratchet]

Well my ISP provides their whole security suite free labeled "Safe & Secure". I never tried it, paying for NOD on the desktop and Avira Free on the laptop. If I ever I read that this it top notch stuff I might go with it someday. For now I'll stick with NOD and Avira and the apps in my signature!

[vijayind]

You can checkout the result of the latest AV-Comparitives test. It includes Authentium, so you can get a good idea vis-a-vis NOD32 & Avira.