Best Buy 'admits' to selling trojan infected goods

Author: Gareth Halfacree
Published: 18th January 2008
Comments (9) Stumble
Best Buy 'admits' to selling trojan infected goods

The Insignia 10.4" digital photo frame, known to have been sold with an infectious Trojan.

If you bought a digital photo frame from US retail giant Best Buy recently you may have got more than you bargained for. In a memo obtained by Engadget, Best Buy have admitted that an entire batch of Insignia-branded frames sold nationwide were infected with a Trojan horse.

It only affects Windows computers, so Mac and Linux users can commence sniggering. The memo, distributed by Best Buy management to stores regarding the problem and subsequent removal from sale of the frames, claims the Trojan was “pre-installed during the manufacturing process” and lies dormant until the frame is connected as a mass-storage device to a Windows PC.

The affected product, the Insignia 10.4” digital photo frame, was pulled from sale at the start of the year when the problem first came to light. It's only now that the real reason for the removal has become apparent, thanks to the leaked memo.

Store employees are advised by Best Buy management to direct customers returning the frames to the Geek Squad, their in-store techie service. There is no word about actually recalling the product from those who have already purchased it, with the memo only saying that letters outlining the problem will be sent to customers “once a solution has been tested and confirmed”.

The problem, of course, is that by the time Best Buy send these letters out the damage is likely to have been done. Although the frame has a built-in card reader – the use of which will not trigger the Trojan – it's highly likely that users will transfer pictures already stored on their computer via the USB interface, described by the manufacturer as “for easy connection to your computer”. Connection, infection: it's an easy mistake to make.

Any US readers the proud owners of the Limited Edition Frame with Free Trojan, or isn't it the sort of thing that appeals? Let us know over in the forums.
Quote mikeuk2004 18th January 2008, 12:13
I guess they need to print on the box "trogens included" :) the not so informed will be like wow, its got a trogen, it must be beter than the other brands because theres dont have trogens included. :)
Quote HellRazor 18th January 2008, 12:51
Boy am I glad I don't work for them anymore....this would have been yet ANOTHER headache because someone else screwed up....
Quote Brett89 18th January 2008, 20:11
hopefully we get a fry's here in the near future, until then, it's a necessary evil, them and their "Dynex" quality products.
Quote supermonkey 18th January 2008, 20:37
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeuk2004
I guess they need to print on the box "trogens included" :) the not so informed will be like wow, its got a trogen, it must be beter than the other brands because theres dont have trogens included. :)
If you sell a picture frame with a banner on the box that reads, "Trojans included," you'll probably end up with folks thinking that the frame is only suitable for a certain type of photo. :o

-monkey
Quote steveo_mcg 18th January 2008, 23:01
Can't see it selling well in greece, once bitten and all that.
Quote The_Beast 19th January 2008, 00:05
That's why I hate Best Buy
Quote HourBeforeDawn 20th January 2008, 07:31
well although insignia is a best buy brand name the products are not produced by best buy but by a third party so really this isnt BB fault but that manufacture but of course people wont go that far they will just look at the last person they saw which would be the seller... oh well..
Quote D B 20th January 2008, 20:10
It's not that they sold it, it's what they're not doing once they found out about it
Quote HourBeforeDawn 27th January 2008, 01:23
alright straight from the horses mouth, here is an update on this...

NEW UPDATE: Insignia 10.4-inch Digital Photo Frame



Earlier this month, it came to our attention that some of the Insignia 10.4-inch LCD
Digital Photo Frames (model # NS-DPF10A, SKU # 8483866) were contaminated by a virus
during the manufacturing process. We are posting updates at
http://www.insignia-products.com/ to keep the public informed and are currently
connecting with our customers who may have been impacted.

We have worked hard to provide the best solution for our customers. Because
customers load and share files to these frames in many different ways, we're
providing one-on-one support to make sure that each customer can access the solution
that best meets their needs. Customers should call Insignia customer care at (877)
467-4289.

Included on the Insignia Web site are a few key facts:

* Not every frame was contaminated by the virus.
* This virus only affectscomputers running a Windows operating systemand will only
be initiated if the digital picture frame is connected to a PC via a USB cable.
Customers who have not connected the frame to a PC, or those who have updated
anti-virus software should be fully protected.
* The virus cannot infect memory cards, digital cameras or USB flash drives that are
connected to or inserted in the frame.

Again, please direct customers to Insignia customer care at (877) 467-4289. If a
customer in your store has questions, you may direct them to the Geek Squad who have
also been alerted to the situation and can provide guidance on next steps.

Ensuring that our customers are satisfied and have a quality product is of utmost
importance to us. This model has been discontinued and we are making changes to our
quality assurance and quality check process to help ensure a situation like this is
not repeated.

Please direct all news media inquiries to the Best Buy Public Relations department
at 612-292-NEWS or newscenter@bestbuy.com.
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