Heads up: Avira issues borked update!

[satrow]

It happens to all antivirus companies, Avira's turn today

The update bumps the software version to 8.2.10.64 and the definitions file to 7.11.30.24. The result is that the AntiVirProActiv component starts detecting critical processes as malware, including the following:

\windows\system32\dllhost.exe
\windows\system32\explorer.exe
\windows\system32\iexplorer.exe
\windows\system32\notepad.exe
\windows\system32\regedit.exe
\windows\system32\rundll32.exe
\windows\system32\taskeng.exe
\windows\system32\wuauclt.exe

Those are just some of the false detected Windows processes. Avira sometimes kills them and stops Windows from booting, but that’s not the end of it.

The update is also blocking other Microsoft software (such as Microsoft Office and Microsoft Works) as well as various third-party applications, including Byki 4 Express, Documents To Go, Garmin, Google Talk, iPod and Palm services, Opera, OpenDNS Updater, Polipo, Shadow, Stickies, and many others. In other words, almost every executable file is being falsely detected by this update.

But there's good news too:

the free edition (Avira AntiVir Personal) does not include ProActiv, so it is not affected. The bad news is that the paid consumer editions (Avira Antivirus Premium and Avira Internet Security) as well as business editions (Avira Small Business Security Suite, Avira Endpoint Security, and Avira Professional Security) do have it, and thus are affected.

We freeloaders are safe

[LauraR]

I'd love to know how the hell an AV company makes that kind of mistake.

Thinking someone was drunk when they were doing that update.

[thisisu]

Wow lol

[Rose110]

It only affects or affected the pro version, not the free version and only on 32 bit computers but still it was quite a shock.

[mjnc]

Borked ???

Dictionary.com - Borked

Hope this isn't too risque.
Urban dictionary - Borked

Wow

[satrow]

Sssh, it was supposed to be subtle.