[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] Kaspersky antivirus users - what to do?

[Robert Primak]

 Re. CloudStrike CEO:
Yes, he was CTO of McAfee when that program delivered a bad virus definitions update which hosed svchost..exe. If the actual file in Windows XP, SP3 (there were several files and services with the same name in Windows, even then) got quarantined, the affected systems will enter a reboot loop and lose all network access. 
"The company's official recommendation for repairing the damage involves copying Svchost.exe from a working system and manually copying it to an affected system. The McAfee technical bulletin doesn't include details about how to get to a command prompt on a system that's been temporarily bricked. (Using an XP installation disk allows a tech support professional to boot to a recovery environment and copy the necessary files from a command prompt. The good folks at BleepingComputer.com have published a tutorial that explains the process. Third party recovery tools also provide access to the file system from command-line environments.) This sort of repair is not a job for end users, certainly, and generally requires a skilled support professional."
https://www.zdnet.com/article/defective-mcafee-update-causes-worldwide-meltdown-of-xp-pcs/ 

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Defective McAfee update causes worldwide meltdown of XP PCs

Oops, they did it again. Early this morning, McAfee released an update to its antivirus definitions for corporat...
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(Reference provided by a security expert who is a member of the Natick FOSS user group.)
Note: One of those "third party recovery tools" is a Linux self-booting installation/Linux Live USB flash drive. They had those even back then. 
See also:
How Linux Saved A Fast Food Giant. https://web.archive.org/web/20100520020401/http://therealedwin.com/2010/05/17/how-linux-saved-a-fast-food-giant/ 
(Reference also provided by our security expert at Natick FOSS.) 
-- Bob Primak 
    On Sunday, July 21, 2024 at 12:14:44 AM EDT, Donald Cooke via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:  
 
 I used to check reviews every year and would switch to the best rated security , including Kasperski for a couple of years. Then a couple of years ago, the various rating sites just said stick with what comes with Win 11. Free.  So I've been doing that for 3? 4? years now. 
Oh, BTW I heard a rumor that the current CEO of Crowdstrike was CEO of McAfee when they had a similar problem a decade ago. Rumor.  Anyone know about this?


Don Cooke, Site 523, 603.219.9259


On Sat, Jul 20, 2024 at 7:16 PM tracy--- via LCTG <lctg at lists.toku.us> wrote:

Folks -
I renewed my Kaspersky antivirus/security system software earlier in 
January and just learned this week that they're forced to leave the U.S. 
(they're Russian) and their software will be on limited funcitonality 
beginning in September. However, when I check My Kaspersky, my 
subscription page says it's already on "limited functionality" whatever 
that means.

Given that one of my credit cards was compromised a week ago - one that 
I've only used with Paypal (which has always been reliable) and the 
library and never used outside my apartment -- I'm getting concerned 
that my computer is unsafe. I had done a full system scan a week ago but 
that was with Kaspersky --- and apparently they're gradually stopping 
upgrading their databases.

Does anyone have any more information about how safe they are now?
Do you recommend I soon de-install them and get another 
antivirus/security/firewall setup?
If so, what do you believe is the most secure (and hopefully under 
$100/year)
I have Windows 11.

I'm angry because I'm on a very very tight budget now due to an ongoing 
medical condition and  have nearly six months left on my subscription.
Please email privately - unless others on this list also have Kaspersky 
concerns.

Tracy Marks
p.s. I deleted last week's emails from this group unread due to 
time-consuming crises the past week, so I apologize if the Kaspersky 
situation has already been discussed.
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