Trying to obtain virus samples.. (convincing my boss to sell Nod32)

I work at a small ISP to not be named and do a good amount of tech support/computer repair for customers of ours and other companies alike. I clean them with Nod32 and Antivir as far as virus infections go, but when they request to have something put on, we sell them Norton 2006 because it's what they've sold since the business opened about 6 years ago.

I've constantly shown my boss and fellow coworkers how much more efficient that Nod32 is, but they fail to see the light somehow.

So, what I would like to do is setup a sort of "test system" with 2 identical formatted PCs and a folder filled with junk to see which one wins it out. Nod32 is faster, less memory intensive and has a better removal rate.. I just need to show it to him.

It pains me to see how well a system will perform after cleaning it up to only install so much bloatware ala Norton 2006 and just completely destroy the system's performance.

It actually got to a point where I considered applying to become a reseller and sell it online/instore to customers.

I realize this is a bit of a stretchy request, but would it be possible to obtain some virus samples for such a procedure? It would be kind of hard to replicate "just go to some porn sites and hope to get infected" twice in a row.

I hate to say it, but I'm starting to hope that Blackworm just completely destroys Norton so we have no choice but to switch.

I'm getting desperate, thanks in advance, guys!

 

Take a look about half way down this linked page for some independant test results.
There's actually plenty of independant reviews and articles and snippets in the linked web site
HTH
http://www.nod32.com.au/nod32/awards/awards.htm

 

Or this one
http://www.nod32.com.au/nod32/awards/snakeoil.htm

 

That's very impressive, I didn't know that Microsoft uses Nod32

Or do they still? See it's dated 2003. I've shown him several reviews before, but he seemed to just ignore me. I understand it's his business and he's going to sell what he likes.. I just wish he'd give it a shot

 

Like any product, it's better for a customer (or your boss) to take it on because they like to. If it's only because of a hard sell then they will not likely be truely satisfied regardless of how good the product is, and in many cases will point out the most frivelous things as issues and use them as an excuse to change back...
Why not look into becoming a reseller yourself?

 

I always assumed resellers had to sell massive amounts to keep their contracts? I'd love to sell it as I push the product constantly online and to my friends, I'm just not exactly allowed to at work despite how much I'd like to.

It would be kinda fun to resell though Maybe I could get a contract with my boss too, rofl.

 

You could put the EICAR test virus on the test system, try and hide it in zip files, self-extracting zips, in Outlook and Outlook Express mailbox files and then go the real hog - install some rootkits (read about them at Sysinternals) and use them to hide eicar as well.

Get the machine infested with some spyware (this shouldn't be too difficult to find) as well and then make sure you've got Office/an office suite installed and some other large programs so that the computer has got plenty of files to work through. Copy the eicar string into a few files' Alternate Data Streams too.

Try downloading the eicar file from a web browser on the infected PC as well, NOD32 will block this.

One thing which impressed me was NOD32's resistance to being killed. Norton (at least the versions I've tried) will let you kill it with the Task Manager and it's then impotent, where NOD32 doesn't let that happen - even if you Suspend it with Sysinternals' Process Explorer it still stops infections!

Go grab a handful of opinions of other competitor's products from Usenet and here - I know that mostly people with a problem complain, but it's still ammo, and besides - they are mostly right ;-)

 

I was in the same situation selecting a new corporate AV. Manager and coworkers weren't impressed or didn't even know NOD32 existed. I also couldn't convince them that Canon, Microsoft, Dell and some well known national companies were using the product. I finally managed to get permission to test NOD32 on our new infrastructure.

One good source to show how effective NOD32 is Reaction Times of the latest MS05-039-based Worm Attacks on AV-Test.org. This shows - in general - that Kaspersky is very fast updating patterns and NOD32 very effective proactively detecting without a pattern update. We're using Kaspersky on our perimiter defense and if the testing goes well NOD32 on our servers and clients. This should be an extremely effective combination and not as expensive as the large 'brand' names.

If only Eset would document their product better. I could only find two quick installation guides and general information in HTML help. This means I have to figure it out all by myself without the detailed information I would have expected from an 'Enterprise Edition'.

 

I've got the ok to give the program a test run at work. Now, I want to apply as a reseller whether the company continues to buy the product or not, but I need to enter data such as a company name/total revenue/how many sales reps I can provide/etc. I am hoping to just do this by myself until the need increases for more people. I don't want to get in trouble by putting my ISP's name under "company name" either. Any ideas? Seems like ESET is looking for someone more mainstream to sell the product.

 

Well I'm a small fry but they are happy to have me reselling their products (Small is beautiful anyway!)

Maybe you should send them an email and ask what the best course of action would be.

 

Just install NOD32, download an eicar test file and watch that pretty (and scary) animated warning screen.
It's enough to convince him I'm quite sure

 

A very refreshing page, I have heard about NOD32 over the years, and all of it good, but to put anything up against Norton is not really fair is it and no I am not a fan of symantec stuff.

 

Why not get in touch with your local reseller and ask them for an NFR (not for resale) version so you can demo it? Or download the trial version?

I'm a reseller too. One man band with nearly 80% of my customers on NOD now (I make it compulsory with their maintenance contracts). I have NEVER had a customer get infected. Can't say the same for the other 20% though....

PS Speak nicely to Sophos - They have provided me with disabled viruses in the past for evaluation purposes.

 

there is a real risk that a DISABLED virus might not trigger NOD32...