McAfee pledges refunds for bad update

April 28, 2010 | 10:20

Tags: #anti-virus #false-positive #mcafee-anti-virus #refund #virus #virus-signature

Companies: #mcafee

Anti-virus vendor McAfee has promised to make things right after a bad signature update deleted an important Windows system file.

Following the glitchy update last week - which incorrectly identified the version of Windows system service svchost.exe that ships with Windows XP Service Pack 3 as a virus - many users were left with system locked in a permanent reboot cycle, and the official method of repair - replacing the deleted file with a fresh copy from another system - isn't much use if you only have one computer in the first place.

Recognising this, McAfee has pledged to offer those affected by the issue a reimbursement for "reasonable expenses" incurred as a result of the issue. Quite what the company considers reasonable - and details of how exactly to go about claiming a refund for repair costs - hasn't been detailed just yet. The company has promised to post further details to its website when available.

As well as a refund on the repair costs, McAfee has also promised that those affected by the issue and left with "inoperable or severely impaired" systems will be "eligible for a two year extension of [their] existing McAfee subscription free of charge."

It's clear that McAfee is trying to put things right and restore confidence in its software following what amounts to a pretty major mess-up - although how many people will be refusing its offer of a two-year extension and jumping ship to a rival product remains to be seen.

Are you pleased to see McAfee putting its money where its mouth is, or are you disappointed that such an update was ever released? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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