Microsoft flagged Symantec software as spyware

Cnet ^ | 02/13/2006

[Panerai]

Microsoft has corrected a mistake in its anti-spyware product that flagged some Symantec security tools as malicious software.

The problem occurred after Microsoft pushed out an update for Windows AntiSpyware last Thursday night. The updated software identified a Windows registry key set by the Symantec products as belonging to password stealing malicious software known as Bancos, Microsoft and Symantec said in a joint statement Monday.

On detection of the registry keys, Windows AntiSpyware alerted the user and suggested deletion of the keys. "The deletion of these registry keys will cause all versions of the SAV (Symantec AntiVirus) and SCS (Symantec Client Security) software to stop operating correctly," Microsoft and Symantec said in the statement.

The issue affects users of Microsoft's Windows AntiSpyware Beta 1 and various versions of the Symantec security software for corporate users, the companies said. Users of Symantec's Norton-branded consumer products are not affected. Symantec and Microsoft believe only a small number of customers were affected.

Microsoft released a new update for its product on Friday morning to fix the problem. Symantec and Microsoft have prepared a tool to repair installations of Symantec's software that were affected. The tool is available at no charge from Symantec's support department, the companies said.

Though still in beta, Windows AntiSpyware is one of the most popular downloads from Microsoft's Web site and is widely used. The software has been downloaded about 25 million times, according to Microsoft.

[diverteach]

Thats funny! My "Spybot search & destroy" finds microsoft windows as spyware.

BTW. Everytime I run the program.

[billybudd]

So? Norton *is* spyware. Been trying to tell people that for years.

[centurion316]

In my opinion, Symantec software is rightly classified as malicious. I am currently purging all of its products from all of my systems. Norton has down untold damage and has acted in a most arrogant and ineffective fashion.

[Saynotosocialism]

So, if we were to write to these companies requesting that they desist from invading our computers, and if they continue to trespass, can we obtain restraining orders from law enforcement to attempt to curb their activity? Nothing in the cyberworld seems to work. I think that I will try this tact as a test case.
I am so frustrated with these guys taking over my computer, that I can't take it anymore.

[weegee]

No. Their lobbyists took over the legislature already. You'll never find them prosecuted for invasion of privacy.

[Jeff Chandler]

I don't like Norton. I set my clients up with PC-cillin, although I myself use F-Prot (uses fewer resources).

I use Acronis True Image to back up my design computer. I have read too many bad user reviews about Norton Ghost.