Bad security update brings down PCs worldwide
Summary
Topics
According to an IDG report, users on forum boards started signaling the problem on Saturday evening. The complainants said several Windows files, and the security vendor's own program files, were identified as "Trojan.FakeAlert.5" malware after they performed an update for their BitDefender AV programs.
In an e-mail update Monday to ZDNet Asia, Vitor Souza, BitDefender's global communications director, explained that "multiple" BitDefender and Windows files which comprise .exe, .dll and other binary files, were incorrectly detected as malware and "moved to quarantine".
The faulty updates were applied to the company's home user product line as well as BitDefender Business Client and BitDefender Security for File Servers. Those using BitDefender's products from 2008 to 2010, on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 platforms, were affected.
"By 11am PST, our team had reversed the faulty update so no additional users would be affected," Souza said, adding that the number of customers that contacted the company's support channels were "in the hundreds".
In a blog reply posted on Saturday, BitDefender had offered workarounds for BitDefender 2009 and BitDefender 2010 products, but has yet to release a patch for its 2008 version.
For more on this story, read Bad security update brings down PCs worldwide on ZDNet Asia.
Talkback Most Recent of 46 Talkback(s)
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Not the first time
BD has done this before, though not to the extent of bringing down a system. Surely this indicates a need to change their test procedures before they release an update.
ksarkies@...23rd Mar 2010 -
Surely this indicates a need to change their test procedures
Test procedures?
What test procedures?
The only way to test these things properly is for someone to actually install it on a system and run it so see what happens. If someone had, that individual would have experienced this problem.
What this problem indicates is that Bit Defender did not test this update at all.
This is no different than when a company like Epson claims it's printer driver will work with Win7. Then, when you attempt to install it, it will neither install properly nor run properly.
These problems show a lack of testing and a need to implement valid testing procedures. Not a need to change testing procedures.
satovey@...24th Mar 2010 -
possibly enough to make me change my mind
Yep, Windows 7 64 bit. Error messages 2-3 times a day, I also experienced this issue on Saturday and I ended up blaming the wife for downloading a virus and now find out it was BitDefender. What seemed like an outstanding product 4 years ago is starting to look like any of the other average AV packages. Time to review before renewing.
isotla23rd Mar 2010 -
Bad Headline Misleads Millions Worldwide
How about using Virus Definition or Bit Defender Update - shorter and more descriptive!
kenneth.kelley@...23rd Mar 2010 -
RE: Bad security update brings down PCs worldwide
I've banned BitDefender from all my home PCs and I've advised all my friends to do the same thing.
I'm planning to request the editor to give me a refund.
didier.m.rousseau@...23rd Mar 2010 -
RE: Bad security update brings down PCs worldwide
it happened to a friend of mine - I think we should be able to sue for damages - it wrecked his weekend (as a keen gamer) while he rebuilt his machine. I have heard of other people having to pay someone for a rebuild (not cheap or fast)- its about time that companies that produce rubbish sware are made to pay in the same way that companies pay when they cause a problem with any manufactured item.
fionajarvis23rd Mar 2010 -
didn't restore work?
Was I one of the fortunate ones? When I attempted a reboot, Win7 tried to recover on its own and finally did after it reverted back to it's last backup and restored successfully. My total downtime was about 20 minutes.isotla23rd Mar 2010 -
Does that include microsoft
for creating the need for this software in the first place?
thedavidmckenzie23rd Mar 2010 -
It should
Since this isn't an Apple or Linux issue
still not nice23rd Mar 2010 -
Better still.. Why not go after the filthy bastards who wrote the malware?
I can think of a number of not so pleasant things to do to the lot of them - things that would make water boarding at Gitmo look as tame as a 4 yr olds tea party.
Wolfie2K323rd Mar 2010 -
Why do that?
They're just taking advantage of swiss cheese security hanging from the money tree.
lol...
still not nice24th Mar 2010 -
... and it aint just miscreants writing them ...
in case you do not know - the FIRST Virus - STONED - was written by the FBI to stop intruders from getting into their BBS sites ... long before the internet existed, or even before M$ became popular ........
digitrog24th Mar 2010 -
wow ..
Any popular product will be compromised. If OSX or linux were comparitively popular, it would happen to them as well. Where there is a chance for profit, crime will ensue.
Bit defender made a mistake, that will hit it where it really counts in the AV market - its reputation. This has nothing to do with Microsoft.
Are you are one of those people that thinks it's safe to run OSX or linux without protection? OSX is, by nature of it's slight increase in market share, starting to suffer from malware. If linux was anything other than a hobbist product on the desktop, it'd be having similar dramas.
There is always some who will use anything as a shot against Microsoft. I can't defend some of what they do, but seriously, this has nothing to do with them.
stewymelb24th Mar 2010 -
The Volume argument is wrong.
See Apache v IIS as a counter example.
Apache has significantly more market share than IIS and significantly less bugs.
The issue is s a microsoft problem for creating an operating system that allows the compromise of almost any application to compromise the integrity of the operating system.thedavidmckenzie24th Mar 2010 -
no wow ..
Are you are one of those people that thinks it's safe to run OSX or linux without protection?
Yes, I am. Been running Vector Linux on a Sony laptop for the last 4 years with only AppArmour. No security issues.
Now if you know something we don't know about, do tell...
still not nice24th Mar 2010
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