Mcafee Warning...CAUTION!!!

[gizzer777]

Was not sure where to post this

Was advised last night that the new Mcafee AV updates will destroy MS Excel as well as other programs.

Moderators, please spread this where you see fit...was confirmed this AM in CNET news!!!!

 

[LER]

I believe this was 2-3 days ago with the daily updates, and has been FIXED.

Get the CURRENT DAT's.

LER

 

[gizzer777]

Too late for my customers..

I believe this was 2-3 days ago with the daily updates, and has been FIXED.

Get the CURRENT DAT's.

LER

I have been off line for a few days delivering systems for some clients...they wanted to keep the Mcaffee suite and got nailed this am...something is ROTTEN in Denmark and the damage will not be undone by the new DAT file, If it has already wiped out Excel or others ....you must reinstall and then I must find out about the accociated Data files!

Personally, it is Panda, Trend Micro, or Kasparsky Labs that I recommend!
Luck to aLL!

 

[WildeComputers]

I have not recommended McAfee nor Symantec for years. There are better and cheaper alternatives out on the market.

 

[sabersaw]

I have not recommended McAfee nor Symantec for years. There are better and cheaper alternatives out on the market.

Its not fair to group Symantec in with McAfee. I have yet to use anything better in a corp environment than Symantec. As for their retail stuff, haven't seen it in years. I am sure its bloatware just like everything else now!

Regardless, thanks for the heads up regarding this McAfee snafu:up

 

[GaryPen]

Symantec is great. I use it at home. But, we use McAfee at work, which did identify SOME excel files at infected. But, IT DID NOT DESTROY THEM. It quarantined them. Big difference. They were recovered. (Although, I suppose, if someone was stupid enough to set their AV program to automatically delete anything it detects as a virus, as opposed to quarantine and inquire, they deserve it.)

OTOH, if they were using Norton SystemWorks, the Protected Recycle Bin would have probably saved those "deleted" files. Then again, if they were using Symantec/Norton, it would be a moot point.

 

[VIPERS-PIT]

WHY would you pay for anti-virus software?

 

[charper1]

I would think because a lot of times free-ware is too subject to no support, being very risky and slow to respond and just plain disappearing into thin air.

I would REALLY love to research what you use in place of Norton Internet Security 05/06 or its McAfee counterpart.


Thanks.

 

[GeorgeLV]

Don't download suspicious files, don't use Internet Explorer, and use a hosts file. As long as you're smart about what goes into your computer you can run safely without an anti-virus/anti-spyware constantly running.

 

[charper1]

I would agree by recommending not opening or D/L suspicious files, BUT I would NEVER recommend not using some sort of internet protection. There are plenty of nasties that get in regardless of browser use, email use, or simply D/L and/or clicking on something bad.

 

[GeorgeLV]

I would agree by recommending not opening or D/L suspicious files, BUT I would NEVER recommend not using some sort of internet protection. There are plenty of nasties that get in regardless of browser use, email use, or simply D/L and/or clicking on something bad.

That's why my HOSTS file is over 400k these days

 

[sidekick]

I gave up on Mcafee a long time ago as it messed with far too many of my programs. I'm strictly a Symantec guy now and have had virtually no problems.

 

[gizzer777]

Its not fair to group Symantec in with McAfee. I have yet to use anything better in a corp environment than Symantec. As for their retail stuff, haven't seen it in years. I am sure its bloatware just like everything else now!

Regardless, thanks for the heads up regarding this McAfee snafu:up

Try uninstalling Mcafee from a Server...there over 200 registry keys left over after their uninstaller finishes...and those are the visible ones! Norton is about the same...kind of like AOL...FORMAT is the only sure fire way!

Both Mcafee and Norton have about an 80% detection rate! Try Kaspersky labs! Funny thing is the reviews these 2 av pkgs get...someone either has no clue or there is something else involved!

Bottom line is like the IT people used to say "don't blame me...I bought IBM..the best" Yeah right....underengineered and over prioced! Service was top notch though!

 

[vurbano]

I gave up on Mcafee a long time ago as it messed with far too many of my programs. I'm strictly a Symantec guy now and have had virtually no problems.

me too

 

[gizzer777]

Spyware...

I would agree by recommending not opening or D/L suspicious files, BUT I would NEVER recommend not using some sort of internet protection. There are plenty of nasties that get in regardless of browser use, email use, or simply D/L and/or clicking on something bad.

I agree...about D/L, but there is a major threat in mal/spyware where both programs are weak! Just about every web site sends some sort of Cookie...MS is the worst! Even CNN is sending tracking cookies these days! Ad-aware flushes them real time!

try a scan with lavasoft ad aware, and see what has been missed. Back Door Trojans are a bigger threat IMHO! Hardware firewalls (not the cheap router combos available for the home...) + AV + anti spyware is the answer along with common sense! FYI...the cheaper router chipsets have been had for years and WEP encryption on wifi is a waste of time we shall see about WPA2! I only allow my own cheapo router/wifi to transmit when I have the laptop in another room...after that i turn it off and stay hard wired! NEVER transmit your SSID (which most people leave named as the default like Linksys or the likes) Any, it makes me $$ so I do not care if they do not take advice!!!

I get emails when my router is attacked (mostly smurf attacks these days) Then use traceroute to see wher the attack comes from (mostly idiots with port scanners in the far east!)

Kaspersky is also pretty fair at spyware detection.

I usually only get on the MAC when an outbreak occurs and now there are infections getting into OSX (Unix) thru messenger if one is dumb enough to use it! You would be amazed how many businesses use messengers....just like opening the door and saying...come in!

 

[GaryPen]

WHY would you pay for anti-virus software?

Because it comes as part of Norton SystemWorks, which is often available for free after rebate. Plus, the bundled apps work well together. And, they have kept my home systems working well. Actually, Norton AntiVirus is often available standalone for free after rebate as well.

I understand Avast! is an excellent free anti-virus product. But, since I pay nothing for my fully supported NAV, I see no reason to try it.

Of course, I also use the freeware versions of Ad-Aware and MS Defender. I never cared for SpyBot. Too many false positives, and an ugly GUI.

 

[charper1]

Damn Gary you and I seem to be on the same software regimen. I too have never been hit. BUT i also add SpyBot S&D to your list.

 

[Foxbat]

We've been with Symantec at work for 10 years or so, but now the global corporate standard is McAfee. I've since noticed that people are as "religious" about AV as they are about computing platforms or DBS systems. A vendor cringed when he was told that their Windows-based DVR would have to run Symantec AV in order to be connected to our LAN, but when he found out that we were switching, he was all smiles and "no problems" after that.

 

[gizzer777]

and again...

We've been with Symantec at work for 10 years or so, but now the global corporate standard is McAfee. I've since noticed that people are as "religious" about AV as they are about computing platforms or DBS systems. A vendor cringed when he was told that their Windows-based DVR would have to run Symantec AV in order to be connected to our LAN, but when he found out that we were switching, he was all smiles and "no problems" after that.

Both of these productts only have about an 80% detection rate...don't ever try to get them off your PC, unless you are good at editing the registry...plus ever see Norton go thru a bad and incomplete install? Jst try to install it again! no, system restore will not help you!

Avast is ok, Trend Micro and Kaspersky are good as is Panda.

I now make my living (semi retired) consulting for small businesses and individuals. Norton has not been a good product since Peter Norton created it! I have no bones to pick, and If you don't see the decrease in system speed and increase in registry size...you are just fine!

In my world of support, they are both useless...of course, they ARE better than the WINDOZE stuff ....phoney firewall and malware tool too! (I think the tool came from a company they bought GIANTWARE)

I am happy for you who have not been hit...saves you $$ and time. I would also imagine your good "surfing" and maintanience practices have as much to do with your success as the AV software. If MS gets its way...there will be no security firms left after Vista is released...so I guess I would rather have Norton or Mcafee than nothing...(I personally like Kasparsky but is is a slow scanner...other than that it is far superior in its definations, Hueristics, and detection rate!

PS : MY own sister (a newbie) put Norton on first, then switched to Mcafee..... she was fried with each, by something I had never seen before...I ran kasparsky and it was not sure what it was...but quarantened it anyway...case closed (for now that is) Neither Norton or Mcafee found anything which is not unusual for viri in the wild!

The corporate world is their problem (retired from corporate long ago!) They can run Mcafee all they want and I am always hqappy to charge my normal fee to reformat their servers and workstations...It is the users that usually get the smaller companys in trouble!

Both Norton and Mcafee have the resources to create new protection very quickly as something new is discovered. That is a good thing!!!

Best of Luck
Jeff

 

[Foxbat]

The corporate world is their problem (retired from corporate long ago!) They can run Mcafee all they want and I am always hqappy to charge my normal fee to reformat their servers and workstations...It is the users that usually get the smaller companys in trouble!

Yea, those pesky users! Sales reps with their laptops that they take home and let their kids play on. Then, when they come inside the Firewalls and jack-in, Wham!

I'll be the first to admit that NAV isn't perfect. Every so often, we would have clients that would stop responding to the SSC, but usually a reboot would fix it. After a while, we got pretty good at scrubbing a PC's regestry clean of Symantec/Norton. We also used the No-NAV tools when the uninstalls failed.