Well said. I hate it when i have original software on cd and i have to insert the cd to get it going again. Then an AV flags a NoCD patch
The is author is right. Not crazy, however, about him focusing his accusations at Windows Defender and what Microsoft might do in the future when he has no clue, and when this "ethics" issue is widespread among most all anti-malware solutions. But people do like to bash Microsoft at every opportunity just because it makes them feel good. I did have to wince then laugh, however, when Windows Defender's newly implemented Controlled folder access feature tagged Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook 2016. But yeah, those "PUP" warnings really bother me sometimes. Just because the product maker does not recognize a product, that does not make it malicious or unwanted - potentially or otherwise. I don't know about ESET as the author talks about because I don't use it. I have not had the issues with WD, but I note Malwarebytes has tagged several legitimate and wanted programs for me and I find that very irritating. I consider those false positives when normally are seen as flaws in security software. I am also aware of Kaspersky, also mentioned in that article, and other security apps, suspiciously tagging competing products as malware risks or "potentially unwanted". I understand why; security apps tend to snoop and lurk around deep in the kernel. I guess it is better to err on the side of safety, but I fear someday the bad guy will slip by unnoticed while the MI6 and CIA agents are trying to figure out what each other and that Mossad agent are up to.
And many into much more than that - into full "suites" For example, looking at this list of features for several popular products, some or all contain the following features: Spam blocker PC Optimization (huh?) Parental Controls Cloud backup (huh?) Idle time optimizer (huh?) File encryption File shredder/secure erase Startup optimizer (huh?) System analyzer Home network manager (huh?) Coffee maker (?) Kitchen sink (?) More bloat than a dead whale
common solutions for common people. thats why software like MBAM could rising. what i dont like that it is nearly impossible to uncheck not needed features while installation. best example: useless extensions for browsers.
I would also prefer it, if antivirus software stuck to just being antiviruses, rather than adding lots of unwanted extras. Also, I agree with the article, regarding detection of PUPs. I don't have an issue with PUPs being detected, but at least make it clear, that it's just software that some people may have no use for, so people don't assume it's malicious and that their computer is infected. I find that some security software, often detects harmless PUPs as trojans. Even, if not flagged as being a trojan, often the naming makes it unclear that they are not actual threats. As an example, I just scanned the installer for DriverToolkit, at VirusTotal. ESET, detected is as "a variant of Win32/UwS.DriverToolkit.A," a rather confusing name, as it seeming, does not given any indication if it is actually a threat. Maybe "UwS," means unwanted software? Several other scanners, said that it is a trojan. This would be fine, if it actually was a trojan, but it's not. It's quite funny that some security software, on one hand, will include junk/registry cleaning features and then on the other hand, often detect junk cleaning software as being PUPs.
My cousin once said to me you know the difference between the Brits and us? I said no, what is it? He said you Brits like to have a special tool for each task but we Americans like one tool to that can do lots of things. I said yeah but then you have tools that do nothing very well because compromises have to be made so it can do lots of things. He said, exactly but you try telling anyone that. I said ahhh so you think our Brit tool designed to do one thing is better then? He said, of course, because it will do that one thing perfectly.
Agreed. I used to root dozens of phones. Been a couple years now. I have some files, programs, instructions that'll help me unbrick my 4yr old rooted Android. I have to keep multiple multiple copies everywhere because one or more programs will delete it. I've white listed it, zipped it 7z it tarred etc etc. Doesn't matter when I look for it 1 or 2 times a year. It might be gone again.
