Wideclient Problem - Urgent

[Don Fraser]

I have just downloaded your latest wideclient and it is infected with a virus:

A copy of my anti-virus report

C:\My Downloads\WideFS 6.71.zip

File infected with "W32/new-malware!Maximus" virus and was successfully deleted.

I will hold off downloading until you say it is clear of any virus

Regards

Don Fraser

[Pete Dowson]

I have just downloaded your latest wideclient and it is infected with a virus:

No, it's a false report.

Regards

Pete

[Don Fraser]

Sorry Pete but how do I know it is false report. If it is, what is causing it?

Regards

Don

[Pete Dowson]

Sorry Pete but how do I know it is false report.

If you don't believe me, you must report it to your virus checker supplier and ask them. They will then probably update their virus list to be more throrough in that particular check so that when you next update it it will work okay.

If it is, what is causing it?

All my files are supplied compressed in ZIPs. Inside the only Executable files are also compressed and encrypted. That is done to protect them against changes -- they won't actually run if changed. However, this of course produces random sequences of bits and bytes. Your virus checker is mistaking a sequence of compressed and encrypted bytes as a virus because a part of it matches a part of what it has catalogued as part of a virus executable code. This doesn't happen with mature checkers like the Norton A/V I use because they are more thorough in the methods they use and the extensive sequences they check against. I don't know what checker it is you use, but NOD32, for instance, seems to give false indications more than most.

Regards

Pete

[Don Fraser]

Sorry Pete but how do I know it is false report.

If you don't believe me, you must report it to your virus checker supplier and ask them.

If it is, what is causing it?

I was only asking as you just gave me a one liner reply!

I am using PC Guard from Blueyonder so I assume they are using a mature checker as they are providing it for all their premium customers!

Having said that, when I was unzipping your file, when it came up with the virus report, it still extracted your files. I have since checked your files separately and I agree they are virus free. But it does ring some alarm bells when your virus checker warns you of one.

May I suggest you put a note warning clients about the anomaly so they don't go through the same process.

Regards

Don

[Pete Dowson]

May I suggest you put a note warning clients about the anomaly so they don't go through the same process.

What would that say, then? "Look folks, you may get a virus warning from any of my files, in fact just about any compressed or Zipped files you may ever download. Some of those warnings will prove false, and such is the case with any of my files as of course you can always trust me and my suppliers ..."

What good is that? If someone takes one of my files, adds a virus to it and supplies it, then you'll also get a genuine virus warning. The same applies to any and all possible downloads. All I can do is make sure my programs do not run if they are tampered with. I cannot guarantee that for any others, nor can I predict what may trigger a virus checker or not. my files are changing all the time in any case.

In all the versions of all the files I've ever provided, only two or three have ever provoked any such warning and then in only one or two virus checkers. There's no way I'm going to "assure" folks their virus checker is lying, nor can I prevent the virus checker programs from doing a suspect job.

WideFS 6.71 has been available for a month now and downloaded by thousands. Yours is the only report of it triggering a virus checker.

Sorry. It's one of those cases of buyer beware, I can't do it from this end nor can I give absolute guarantees except as above. Any general statement would be totally misleading, and since it only applies to a very very small minority of virus checkers and their particular update levels, file versions and file contents it is hardly something to worry anyone.

Pete