Company: Hackers can crack top antivirus program

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Symantec Corp.'s leading antivirus software, which protects some of the world's largest corporations and U.S. government agencies, suffers from a flaw that lets hackers seize control of computers to steal sensitive data, delete files or implant malicious programs, researchers said Thursday.

Symantec said it was investigating the issue but could not immediately corroborate the vulnerability. If confirmed, the threat to computer users would be severe because the security software is so widely used and because no action is required by victims using the latest versions of Symantec Antivirus to suffer a crippling attack over the Internet.

Symantec has boasted that its antivirus products are installed on more than 200 million computers. A spokesman, Mike Bradshaw, said the company was examining the reported flaw but described it as "so new that we don't have any details."

Researchers from eEye Digital Security Inc. of Aliso Viejo, California, discovered the vulnerability and provided evidence to Symantec engineers this week, said eEye's chief hacking officer, Marc Maiffret. He demonstrated the attack for The Associated Press.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/05/25/antivirus.flaw.ap/index.html

Norton better do some explaining! I pay damn good money for my subscription to try to keep my computer Safe!:mad:

and I got hit with plenty of viruses too.

I use AVG (the free edition) now.

I think it is pretty difficult to avoid all of the junk on the web these days. Every night before I shut down I run CounterSpy, AVG, Ad-aware, and SpyBot as well as clearing the cache with the system tools. Yep, every night I do this and it takes hours.

If I don't do it, I am sorry I don't.

And I use FireFox and Thunderbird, etc.

I have no solutions other to offer to you other than tell you what I do. However, I did find that Norton was a waste of money to pay for and it also did a very nice job of messing up the best laptop I have. :(

:dem: :kick:

But I'm a worry wart. This is something I did not think I had to worry about.

I switched to Microsoft OneCare (really!), and haven't had a problem since.

Till I paid this years subscription. I hope to make it through the year. I will be going with Microsoft one care when my time expires with Norton.

Here is a link - free download for 90 days it says.

http://www.download.com/Windows-Live-OneCare/3640-2239_4-10532886.html

Cost is at present $19.95/yr. but is said to go up to $40/yr. on June 1st. Hmmm.

:kick:

I have norton, and it's a crap chute. It akes hours to scan, randomly turns off, and when it asks you if you'd like to delete the virus( no duh)It say you have attempted to delete 56 viruses. due to unknown reasons, these viruses are needed by another program. Norton has deleted 2. Would like to exlude or quarentine the rest?
Norton could not quarentine.To delete the rest of the viruses regardless, go to this norton help page. then it takes you to windows help, which is a load of crap that could'nt help a 3rd grader add 5+1, and of course there is no help at all, and my long distance will be outragous to wait on the phone 4 hours to be told they can't help me.I know a kid named shawn norton. He fails everything, has never handed in home work, has a dentention daily, and has been expeled 3 times. Norton anti-virus is as good as he is.

NOTE: for the writer, if you don't want ot pay for your subscription, just uninstal and re-install norton. It gives you 6 months free.Norton, fix this, don't sue me.