McAfee blacklists chunk of web

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 3rd January 2008
Comments (11) Stumble
Dave DeWalt, CEO of McAfee: "Dudes, it'll be fine. Trust me. I know what I'm doing, mmkay? Now, where's my tie?"

Dave DeWalt, CEO of McAfee: "Dudes, it'll be fine. Trust me. I know what I'm doing, mmkay? Now, where's my tie?"

It seems that security software vendor McAfee has made a bit of a boo-boo with the latest update to its flagship anti-virus package: it's a little too good at what it does.

Several websites, including (but by no means limited to) Ars Technica, ESPN.com, Friendster, and Mootools, are being erroneously reported as purveyors of insidious JavaScript exploit JS/Exploit-BO. Accordingly, the anti-virus product is preventing access to such sites; it's just a shame that they're not infected, really.

It seems that the latest batch of virus definitions – version 5197 - for the signature-based AV McAfee VirusScan hadn't had quite enough testing, and was rolled out with a flaw giving the scanner a hair-trigger when checking websites on-the-fly. Users of the software will have had trouble accessing not-inconsiderable chunks of the web since installing the update, which is performed automatically at regular intervals without prompting the user.

Users affected by the bug are recommended to upgrade to DAT file version 5198 or newer, which will be done automatically at the next scheduled check.

So far the only official word from McAfee on the matter has been an alert to enterprise customers announcing an emergency DAT file release to correct “false detection (JS/Exploit-BO) on certain javascript files.”

Does anyone here use McAfee VirusScan and was wondering what the heck happened to the web today or are we all using Avast, AVG, or something even more secure? Let us know via the forums.
Asus EeePC Range
Quote Rebourne 3rd January 2008, 10:33
Virus protection? Why would I need that?
Quote Bauul 3rd January 2008, 10:56
Titter. Not content with using hunks of your resources, McAfee clearly doesn't like you using the Web either. AVG all the way here.

Edit: Why have you included a link to the World Forum of Civil Societies Network? Are you sure you don't mean http://ubuntu.com/?
Quote Digital-Prozac 3rd January 2008, 11:40
Had to laugh... Used to work for these clowns. Not called McCrappy for nothing ;)
Quote yakyb 3rd January 2008, 12:02
mcaffee and norton are essentially the same same thing and wouldn't use either at home. avg with a scheduled scan every morning works fine for me although i honestly cant remember when i last had a virus (prob about a year ago when i did something stupid) the only virus i can remember getting (through no fault of my own) is the blaster,its education thats needed really.

as for spyware tho i average about 5 new peices a day but that is quickly cleared up by AVG anti spyware
Quote DXR_13KE 3rd January 2008, 12:35
mcaffee used to be nice.... but now they are like norton, and i hate that AV, lots of computers i fixed got borked by norton.....
Quote proxess 3rd January 2008, 13:59
anti virus? anti spyware? those are terrible things! why not a pro-cleanPC? such negative people. you have no feeling of what is the meaning of the word Ubuntu!
Quote Nikumba 3rd January 2008, 15:41
This will explain the error my old man was having last night.

But then I'm uber pro and don't use AV never have done, i know what im clicking on.

Plus have 64bit Vista makes it immune to most viri

Kimbie
Quote ssj12 3rd January 2008, 15:53
ill stick with my AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition and Super Anti-Spyware Free edition thanks
Quote DrFreeze 3rd January 2008, 17:31
i have McAffee on my work machine (pre-configed dell, and since im only a contractor, im not gonna bother with the hassle of completely tuning a machine i will be leaving behind in a few months), and didnt notice anything, i accessed arstechnica yesterday and today, but only after an automated scan yesterday, so that might have fixed it before i could notice

all my own machine run linux, so no AV on there. And previously when running windows, i didnt run/need AV, or on occasion use AVG/avast
Quote yodasarmpit 3rd January 2008, 18:10
Quote:
Originally Posted by proxess
you have no feeling of what is the meaning of the word Ubuntu!
I'll remember that whilst I'm playing CoD4 on my Windows based machine tonight, and as for virus's/viri I've not had an issue since MS Blast many years ago.

Linux may very well be more secure, but if you are sensible with Windows then you shouldn't have problems either.

As for McAffee though, that's just a steaming pile of dog poo.
Quote Furymouse 3rd January 2008, 20:06
Gotta say I love my firewall router and my IP's server side anti virus ( hugs router )
Havent had a single one that wasnt my own fault.
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