 | Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years. Thanks, CNET Support |
Do you think antivirus software developers create viruses in order to increase the use of their products?
Definitely (tell us why)
I have my suspicions (what are they?)
Probably not (tell us why)
Absolutely not (tell us why)
I don't know
Discussion is locked
Not likely to be different than the answer to 'Do firefighters create fires to increase work for themselves?'. Sad to say that statistics say yes and quite a few! http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/11/20/60II/main530103.shtml
If they got caught they would be sued blue and probably end up in the hoosegow. However, they do attend the somewhat secretive conferences and probably buy a round of drinks for the attendees
Two weeks ago my internet explorer program was infiltrated by a malicious program that asked me to install winfix and after closing or denying a download it sent me directly to the winfix website to purchase a software.After closing the page my explorer program would act like a virus attacked it and I would have to close immediately.
Then I decided to go to windows explorer web for help.They didn't offer any help instead they led me to a download page were they reccommended two different free trial softwares.I clicked and downloaded one that ran and found some adware programs,but wanted 30 odd bucks before any fixes would be made.At that point I closed program and it started to act mellicious by not letting me close.
So I came to the conclusion that Microsoft allowed its explorer program to be infiltrated so that I was anoyed and then call them for help in which time they would lead me to a program that had their blessing.Doing this in order to make it out that my Adaware,spybot,and Norton program failed.This is a way for them to try to begin monopolizing the virus and adware industry.
I went back to Explorer web site and downloaded the addon manager then ran it and I was able to see and delete any programs that I didn't recognize that were added on to explorer.This took care of the problem and my computer has been running smooth ever since(knock on wood).
IF YOU RUN INTO A SITUATION LIKE THIS THEN DOWNLOAD THE ADDON MANAGER FOR INTERNET EXPLORER AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND DELETE ANY SOFTWARE THAT WAS ADDED ONTO EXPLORER.
what to do with the topic? Guilt by association? When did MS get into the AV apps business and im not talking spyware.
It never ceases to amaze me how people such as yourself just 'love to hate' & Microsoft & Bill Gates are sitting ducks for you guys..right?
As an Australian living in a free enterprise system we have here what is called the 'Tall Poppy Syndrome'...those disgruntled & may i even suggest jealous of a person or company's success just feel obliged to blame said people or company for their own lack of inititive. I have no connection in any capacity with Microsoft (being a medical man)but i refuse to blame every little niggle on Microsoft. I understand how many people, like this bloke i am replying to, loathe & detest corporate America, but cannot figure out the intensisty. Sure corporations have to be accountable, this applies worldwide. However each & every one of us need to recognize that blaming successful business, large or small, for everthing that goes wrong in our lives, in this case the bloke's computor,is bordering on paranoia.
Get real !! There is a time & a place for partisan politics & a time to take resposibility for one's own lack of knowledge & expertise.
No further comments will be forthcoming from me. I have better things to do with my time & reading these so called 'posts' from people with an agenda far removed from the subject matter is a waste of that time.
But, golly gee it does feel good to get that off my chest.
Signing off here.
e. ( subject title)
As a former Australian Prime Minister said.." This stuff about the meek inheriting the earth is a load of bulls***. The weak need the strong to look out for them".
I do very curious that when you get a free scan and knowing that you have no virus's,but somehow they seem to find some or something is wrong with your virus protection. Also i know a little about repeat business and how can you make a profit if you don't sale more,new and improved version of your product and the only way to do this is to have virus's and a lot of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some viruses are 'natural' But for others, though it would never be possible to proove , ever wondered how AV companies come up with fixes for new viruses so fast ( 1 hour or less)and then advertise the fact they are faster than their rivals in detecting and deleting newly discovered viruses. To publish a new virus all you need is an internet cafe, a third world country and Mr X's Swiss bank account details.
Juicy new ones you can even report to the media and watch your stock price rise and rise....
Although conspiracy theories are fun, and some might be true, I think it highly unlikely that they do this. There are plenty of people out there who are paranoid already. And plenty of little kids and teeny-bopper wannabe hackers who make viruses and stuff like that as well. There's plenty of reasons to keep your stuff secure, in this day of constant phishing scams and massive amounts of junk mail already. Why take the risk? If they were caught, it'd be a huge scandal, and a lot of people would spend lots of time in jail.
Maybe if I paid for my antiviral protection, I could be a little wary. But it's not incredibly expensive. And my ISP provides it for free anyway. In my personal experience, the primary use for those antiviral companies has been simply to eliminate adware and junk that we all pick up surfing through the web. I rarely come across any viruses.
So, yes, it's entirely possible, but unlikely.
Now, if you wanna ask do corporations create viruses, and attempt to launch them on their competitors, I'd say, most likely!
Could Be.....You can never be so sure.....They could be writing the viruses.....If they are writing the virus's I would say that symantec hires the aliens from area 51 to write the virus. Then Elvis distributes the virus across the internet.
I just think that this is a conspiracy theory, and as long as i continue to update my computer and everything is running fine i will continue to buy these products
The way virus writers are delt with, I don't think there would be any virus writers willing to take the fall for monitary gain, they are usually exposed and caught, and it would take a pretty good number of these writers to make a difference with the publicity hungry virus writers out there. If it would take so many virus writers, and they usually get caught, you would think that someone would have turned tails on their employer by now...Now companies that put out spam, ad, and spyware selling spyware cleaning software...that would be a different story.
I don't think so- only because inside people would blab.
My answer has to be DEFINITELY. There is no investigative monitoring being done that leads to punitive measures. Why? Limbaugh used to say (before his guys got into office) that all you gotta do is FOLLOW THE MONEY. Until the rules favor the consumer or at least respect the consumer, this always applies in this democratic republic. Oh yeah, FYI, expect the gasoline prices to rise once the year is ended, because the threat of a windfall profit tax will be ended [it's enough money to pull Kah-lee-fornia out of debt]. Capitalism is the reason for the season, Happy Halliburton dreams to one and all.
long time ago I found this information...
Is Windows a Virus?
Here's what viruses do:
1. They replicate quickly - okay, Windows does that.
2. Viruses use up valuable system resources, slowing down the system as they do so - okay, Windows does that.
3. Viruses will, from time to time, trash your hard disk - okay, Windows does that too.
4. Viruses are usually carried, unknown to the user, along with valuable programs and systems. Sigh... Windows does that, too.
5. Viruses will occasionally make the user suspect their system is too slow (see 2) and the user will buy new hardware. Yup, that's with Windows, too.
Until now it seems Windows is a virus but there are fundamental differences: Viruses are well supported by their authors, are running on most systems, their program code is fast, compact and efficient and they tend to become more sophisticated as they mature.
So Windows is not a virus, just a virus wannabe.
Cheer up guys... its almost christmas...
A firm yes on this subject .
all you have to do is serious research on the web and you pick up all kinds of flotsam and jetsom.
MSN has covertly supplied the means on which viruses can make it to our computers.
just ask yourself why do all the programs written to combat these viruses only remove 97% of them.
we are the host that these modern parasites subsist on...
Prof Zarkov
There seem to be many 'rouge' anti-virus and anti-spyware software companies on the net which can infect your computer. If the legitimate companies were developing viruses then they should be able to eliminate them! No so in my recent experience with the Winfixer bug which is irremovable. I have AdAware, SpyBot and Spyware Doctor running on my machine and none of them are able to get rid of it despite numerous promises from software support. I will now only buy software from a reputable retail store as the internet is no longer a secure environment, you never know who you are dealing with.
How else can or would you fuel your buisness. Just like most people we are so wrapped up in trying to maintain that we refuse to look at how we are getting ripped. Just like Government.
Probably Not: I think there are monitoring entities (Government & Private) that can reveal these anomalies so most of the Big players will think twice to get caught doing this. Perhaps, the Small unknown AV companies will do it. I would say the scrupolous unknown individuals knowingly, or the youngsters who dont realize the implications unknowingly will venture into this kinda electronic franks that can wreak havoc to everyone worldwide causing undue griefs financially and emotionally.
Definitely, yes!!! How else would they be able to truly work out the bugs (even with beta copies) and what better way to keep yourself employed.
Antivirus vendors virtually have no choice but to manufacture there own virus inorder to boost produce sale. Well I also think they do it to give us a bad name. Yes hacker write virus but do you really think that hackers have the resoures and man power to write a virus to exploit a flaw in windows everytime one is found which is virtually like everyday in windows. Microsoft's tactic of rush the release and fix later provide antivirus vendor the perfect opportunity to prevent themselves for running out of business. It is either create your own to maintain the stead stream of viruses hacker hacker base virus are low or shut down.
There are enough inependent hackers out there, exploiting those of us numb enough to believe we are invulnerable because we never search the net, we never go to porn sites, we never do this or that...
I got one in email today, Norton killed it dead before it ever got out of the box.
My server provides McAfee for email, for free, but now and then it lets one slip by, like this. I can't imagine, as someone said elsewhere, any reputable AV company making their own viruses so we will buy their products.
That's right up there with saying doctors infect you with germs so they can cure you.
Microsoft is vulnerable, sure. if you choose to use it, as I do, you take that into account, and arm yourself accordingly.
But let's not let our paranoids clog the pipes, here. And for heaven's sake proof your posts.
I know that the majority of people use Microsoft Windows for their home and office needs. As you know Microsoft has many security holes that allow spyware, virus', trojans, etc to get onto your PC. Making it necessary to buy some sort of Security software. It would be very easy for a Company like McAfee or Norton to create their own virus' and then charge people money for a new version of their software. I even have my suspicions about Microsoft's holes in their OS. Look at the newest OS they are putting out... the only real diffrence is more security. They could have done that with another service pack for XP. Just another way for them to pull the money out of your pocket. Its bad enough the cosmetic features of XP slow your computer down. Yah as you can probably tell im not liking microsoft the longer I work with their OS's and Software. What if all the security holes and Protective software are just part of some big organized scheme to make money? Just some food for thought.
I know people that work at Microsoft and I am confident that they try to build the best software possible. Their biggest hurtle is the architecture of the IBM-compatible computer. No doubt the Apple architecture is better for lots of reasons but it is far more difficult to hack. Bottom line, let's not blame Microsoft. A minor change in the architecture can make it far more difficult for hackers and anyone that wants to create any type problem then can.
Many people have hacked the IBM-compatible computer from teenagers to foreign terrorist that would really enjoy taking down as much of the internet that they can. Fortunately all the holes have been patched by Microsoft and the anti-virus companies because the businesses absolutely require this level of safety.
I have my suspicions! I feel it is very suspect as software is a kizillion $$$$$ business. So I believe they do whatever is necessary to keep the $$$$ coming in!
i do think antivirus software developers do create viruses!
firstly they create them so they can test there software!
when i first came onto the internet in 1999 it was rare for a home user to get a virus on there computer and adware and spyware - more or less unheard of!
the develpers need new virus so we use there products!
maybe i am being way too paranoid?
In 1999 Google was a year or so old, and still operating out of a garage. Yahoo was barely three, and consider thw wunderkid for its progress in bringing together the online information in a searchable format online. Many people were still involved in small bbs operations, and there just weren't all that many people out there who used the computer for much more than email and personal home use.
There was no vast internet as we know it today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3257165.stm
Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic