McAfee false-positive glitch fells PCs worldwide

[Malcontent]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07...sitive_glitch/

McAfee VirusScan attacked core system files, in some cases causing the machines to display the dreaded blue screen of death.

Details are still coming in, but forums here and here show that it's affecting McAfee customers in Germany, Italy, and elsewhere. A UK-based Reg reader, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized by his employer to speak to the press, said the glitch simultaneously leveled half of a customer's 140 machines after they updated the latest virus signature file.

"Literally half of the machines were down with this McAfee anti-virus message IDing valid programs as having this trojan," the IT consultant said. "Literally half the office switched off their PCs and were just twiddling their thumbs."

When the consultant returned to his office he was relieved that his own laptop, which also uses VirusScan, was working normally. Then, suddenly, when it installed the latest McAfee DAT file, his computer was also smitten. The anti-virus program identified winvnc.exe and several other legitimate files as malware and attempted to quarantine them. With several core system files out of commission, the machine was rendered an expensive paperweight.

A McAfee representative in the US didn't immediately respond to phone calls seeking comment. Friday is a holiday for many US employees in observance of Saturday's Independence Day.

Based on anecdotes, the glitch appears to be caused when older VirusScan engines install DAT 5664, which McAfee seems to have pushed out in the past 24 hours. Affected systems then begin identifying a wide variety of legitimate - and frequently crucial - system files as malware. Files belonging to Microsoft Internet Explorer, drivers for Compaq computers, and even the McAfee-associated McScript.exe were being identified as a trojan called PWS!hv.aq, according to the posts and interviews.

[Windchild]

It is ironic that, sometimes, anti-virus programs can be the largest security threat. Stuff like this can easily hit even those folks who make a hobby out of computer security things. Well, at least those who run an AV.

[Fly]

McAfee is malware. I had been using it for quite some time, but last time I checked the forum, the number of users with problems were overwhelming.
Of course, most people who use McAfee don't even know about the forum.

[Cudni]

apparently on machines using non supported engine 5100 and latest .dat
http://community.mcafee.com/showpost...3&postcount=12