Is your ANTIVIRUS spying you ?

1.    Now as the Cyber Crime grows exponentially,so has the world of antivirus companies....the list is pretty endless....now how do all these antivirus companies work.Do they all research separately and develop separate signatures for each virus/malware found or do they have such common platform or standard wherein they share each others views and technologies.As I see on Wiki about the list of antivirus companies,they originate in different countries.Details of the page showing a compare of all such antivirus companies can be seen here.Well....what I am going to discuss here is importance of the country origin.

2.  Lets say I have antivirus company by the name of ABC that has its origin and complete team of researchers and developers from India.Now there is a user in some XYZ Country that uses this antivirus.Now while installing the antivirus,while he accepts the terms and conditions(who reads it anyway?),who stops the ABC antivirus from issuing some malware/spyware for that user PC.In the scan it can not be detected since it is being scanned by the installed antivirus.Now with some vested interest, the ABC Company can actually play havoc with confidential info of the user without giving a cue to the user.Who knows what all signatures released by the company contain? Even while submitting a sample virus,it is done mostly in a encrypted or a bundled form!!!!

3. Although institutes like EICAR (European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research) are there,but they also do not have any control over such issues!!!!If any one  has some idea on the subject ...please let me know vide email or comment here.....

SECURITY ESSENTIALS : NO MORE "MORRO"

1. So it has been launched finally after a long wait...a few debates...a few hues and a not so lots of publicity....the microsoft antivirus "SECURITY ESSENTIALS". I downloaded it today and saw thats it is veri light at least as on date and has been able to capture the regular worms and malwares that were present in my desktop.

2. One problem for most of the Hindustani's......it only works on genuine microsoft windows....since prior to installation it checks if you have a genuine windows...if NOT ..then it comes out in between installation without procedding ahead....

MORRO : THE MICROSOFT SIDE OF ANTIVIRUS

1. Impregnable news is coming in that Microsoft is ready to launch its free anti-virus software called Morro for personal computers. This is a huge competition in making for security software leaders like Symantec Norton Antivirus and McAfee Anitvirus software.To address the growing need for a PC security solution tailored to the demands of emerging markets, smaller PC form factors and rapid increases in the incidence of malware, Microsoft Corp. plans to offer this to the new consumer security offering focused on core anti-malware protection.

2. Code-named “Morro,” this streamlined solution will be available in the last quarter of 2009 and is likely to allow comprehensive security from malware including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans. 

3. The surprising news is that Microsoft isn't bundling Morro with Windows.Currently in beta testing, it was available for download to the first 75,000 people in the United States, Israel, People's Republic of China and Brazil.

4. Morro” will take advantage of the same core anti-malware technology that fuels the company’s current line of security products, which have received the VB100 award from Virus Bulletin, Checkmark Certification from West Coast Labs and certification from the International Computer Security Association Labs. 

5. “Morro” will be available as a stand-alone download and offer malware protection for the Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems. When used in conjunction with the ongoing security and privacy enhancements of Windows and Internet Explorer, this new solution will offer consumers a robust, no-cost security solution to help protect against the majority of online threats.

6. Microsoft in an open source mooood!!!!!!!!!!

Check your ANTIVIRUS'es Loyalty : EICAR Way

1. The world of bloggers is increasing at an astonishing pace and there are lots and lots of good of them with loads of beneficial and estimable info. Recently I came across one good one that introduced me to "The European Institute for Computer Anti-Virus Research" (EICAR).

2. Now this was able to provide me a real cool trick that of testing the reliability of the antivirus being run. I tested the same on two computers. One with a antivirus loaded and the other one badly infected. I will now share the cream instead of minting words.

3. It is just a matter of simple cut & paste.Just do the following steps and the matter of how reliable your antivirus is will be taken care of.

(a) Open Notepad and paste the code given below

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

(b) Save the notepad with the name eicar.com

4. If ur Anti-Virus is powerful , it will stop u from saving .. Or atleast trap it few seconds after saving.

5. That’s it!!!!!So simple.So my infected computer was able to save the same and the F - secured one caught the moment I tried saving it and deleted it too!!!!!!!!Screen shot in set

6. Thanks EICAR and http://www.technotips24x7.co.cc/