McAfee update causes damage to 800,000 computers worldwide

Nachy

Joined April 2009

Topic Starter

Nachy 2010-04-23T10:36:06+00:00

Summary: this morning, a McAfee update has quarantined svchost.exe on WinXP SP3 machines worldwide. Some of the machines are stuck in a reboot cycle: they boot, some without network access, then restart after 30 seconds. Engadget originally reported “millions” of computers affected in their title, University of Michigan tech support quoted 800,000. To top it off, McAfee’s support site seems to be modulating between a server timeout and an “Undergoing Maintenance” 404 error.

Update 2: an authoritative source: We have received several reports indicating some issues with McAfee DAT 5958 causing Windows XP SP3 clients to be locked out. It is affecting svchost.exe. […]

Symptoms are: reboot loops and networking down. Trying to roll back to last version is difficult. […]
Only on SP3 so far […] It looks like the svchosts is in quarantine.

Update 1:
At 11 a.m. today, 4/21, McAfee, released an update to its customers that improperly identified a critical component of Windows as having a virus. The majority of McAfee’s customers worldwide, automatically propagates these virus definitions to their client PCs.

Roughly 800,000 PCs randomly distributed across the world automatically received the virus scan update and are now experiencing repetitive reboots. These computers are not functioning at this time and will be offline until the problem is fixed.

McAfee has stopped the virus scan update and is currently working on ways to restore the affected machines. This is challenging due to the nature of the file that is being flagged (improperly) as having the virus.

If your computer is still operational, it is fine and will not experience this problem. NOTE: Your computer does not have a virus, but McAfee VirusScan incorrectly believes it does. There will be more updates as they become available from Microsoft and McAfee.

McAfee saw the true flaw in computer security - the user. Therefore, it has assumed control.

or

both works :U

Last edited by Nachy 2010-04-23T11:22:44+00:00, edited 1 time in total.

DeletedUser_151115

DeletedUser_151115 2010-04-23T10:47:27+00:00

a

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Azure_Kite

osu! Alumni

3,217 posts

Joined February 2009

Azure_Kite 2010-04-23T11:11:56+00:00

If you switched to Norton you're still doin' it wrong.

DeletedUser_151115

DeletedUser_151115 2010-04-23T11:21:19+00:00

a

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Guy-kun

770 posts

Joined December 2009

Guy-kun 2010-04-23T11:39:23+00:00

Norton is bloatware.
Actually, these days all anti-virus programs are

McAfee have finally got it right, no OS, no viruses.

Loginer

osu! Alumni

3,459 posts

Here since the beginning

Loginer 2010-04-23T11:50:59+00:00

I've heard Norton is decent these days, actually. Still, why pay for it when there are free alternatives that provide the same level of protection?

Davidz123 wrote:
Why would you recommend then? But still, Norton is still a much more reliable source than McAfee.

Microsoft Security Essentials for consumers, Microsoft Forefront for businesses.

Placeholder signature. Will probably replace this tomorrow.

Guy-kun

770 posts

Joined December 2009

Guy-kun 2010-04-23T15:27:59+00:00

Second Microsoft Security Essentials.

Cuddlebun

965 posts

Joined August 2008

Cuddlebun 2010-04-23T21:51:13+00:00

Norton is free with Comcast :U so we have to use it; it's not half bad, it's blocking my PSO game though and that's pissing me off a little

I guess it's a good thing comcast switched from mcafee to norton now

DeletedUser_151115

DeletedUser_151115 2010-04-23T22:09:40+00:00

a

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Doomsday

Featured Artist

1,961 posts

Joined July 2008

Doomsday 2010-04-23T22:16:03+00:00

At my school, all of the computers run XP and use Mcafee. looks like it isn't SP3 thats installed, since they're still working. Close shave there.

Pokebis

2,047 posts

Joined April 2008

Pokebis 2010-04-23T23:29:53+00:00

Todesengal wrote:
Norton is free with Comcast :U so we have to use it; it's not half bad, it's blocking my PSO game though and that's pissing me off a little

I guess it's a good thing comcast switched from mcafee to norton now

Learn to use a computer, tode.

It ends.

Zekira

9,233 posts

Joined September 2008

Zekira 2010-04-24T00:37:19+00:00

See this is why I chose to be my own anti-virus

Randy96

1,113 posts

Joined August 2009

Randy96 2010-04-24T00:40:27+00:00

Zekira wrote:
See this is why I chose to be my own anti-virus

Not all of us are computer-literate enough to purge viruses by ourselves.

Neo Adonis

320 posts

Joined November 2009

Neo Adonis 2010-04-24T00:50:48+00:00

Doomsday93 wrote:
At my school, all of the computers run XP and use Mcafee

At my school, all of the computers are protected by the God Bless. XD

As I see, the computers will cause the end of the world (along with the earthquakes, maybe).

Whatever. If you want a good Antivirus, Karspersky. If you don't wanna pay, Avast! is a good choice.

TKiller

4,390 posts

Joined May 2009

TKiller 2010-04-24T03:33:18+00:00

Kaspersky is nice, agree. Needs calibration but ok. Though not using antivirus atm other than using my head to not get any.

My opinion > your opinion.

Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani 2010-04-24T04:08:12+00:00

5 pages of homework for a class I'm not doing well in it's 11:00 PM I'm so happy this will surely boost my grade.

Let's print it out.

Open up Microsoft Word again!

Boom.

ilu McAfee <3~.

Cuddlebun

965 posts

Joined August 2008

Cuddlebun 2010-04-24T11:35:50+00:00

Pokebis wrote:
Todesengal wrote:
Norton is free with Comcast :U so we have to use it; it's not half bad, it's blocking my PSO game though and that's pissing me off a little

I guess it's a good thing comcast switched from mcafee to norton now
Learn to use a computer, tode.

I know how to circumvent that, I'm just irritated that I had to.

Loginer

osu! Alumni

3,459 posts

Here since the beginning

Loginer 2010-04-24T12:20:45+00:00

AAARGGGGHGHGHGSHGHFAGSJDHBLSKBJH

Davidz123 wrote:
I cracked Norton

Do you know why a lot of non-scene cracks and keygens have "false positives" that are "nothing to worry about"?

Davidz123 wrote:
Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) I used once. Wasn't even that good. Detected 42 viruses

I've been using MSE since the initial public beta last year, and I have never experienced a false positive. You have 42 viruses.

Davidz123 wrote:
The scans always popped up every day at 1PM when my setting was different.

Works fine here. You are most likely lying to save face.

Davidz123 wrote:
It slowed down my Internet Speed HEAPS when it's scanning.

SPOILER

Left is before scan, right is during scan

Doesn't slow down my laptop either, and a quick scan only takes five minutes. You're either lying, or desperately need to upgrade.

Zekira wrote:
See this is why I chose to be my own anti-virus

Zekira wrote:
hurr durr derp derp herp maximum trollan' i know computers

Todesengal wrote:
Pokebis wrote:
Learn to use a computer, tode.
I know how to circumvent that, I'm just irritated that I had to.

The fact that you have to circumvent it in the first place is just sad. Is it possible for you to switch ISP?

Placeholder signature. Will probably replace this tomorrow.

Cuddlebun

965 posts

Joined August 2008

Cuddlebun 2010-04-24T12:47:18+00:00

not until I get out of this household, sadly; not sure what ISP my college will use.

DeletedUser_151115

DeletedUser_151115 2010-04-24T23:52:16+00:00

a

Last edited by DeletedUser_151115 2022-05-09T14:54:35+00:00, edited 1 time in total.

adam2046

1,653 posts

Joined April 2008

adam2046 2010-04-25T04:37:16+00:00

Davidz123 wrote:
I've started to be my own anti-virus.

Guess we wont be seeing him for a while.

Ephemeral

Inland Empire

3,945 posts

Joined April 2009

Ephemeral 2010-04-25T04:55:45+00:00

using enterprise edition antivirus == profit

DeletedUser_151115

DeletedUser_151115 2010-04-25T05:32:27+00:00

a

Last edited by DeletedUser_151115 2022-05-09T14:54:54+00:00, edited 1 time in total.

awp

osu! Alumni

11,869 posts

Here since the beginning

awp 2010-04-26T00:29:28+00:00

Loginer wrote:
Davidz123 wrote:
The scans always popped up every day at 1PM when my setting was different.
Works fine here. You are most likely lying to save face.

It's entirely possible one or more of his 42 viruses are causing this behaviour.

Twally Spocks is best pony ♥
Proud user of Etna Sliders.
~~You'll never pierce my admintium armour.~~ Turns out, someone did!

emmkayye

0 posts

Joined April 2010

emmkayye 2010-04-26T01:13:00+00:00

I use AVG because i think the NOrton and McAfee isn't very good.

"Too many sorrys, not enough thankyous, where's the pleases?" - Michelle Ky

Kitsunemimi

2,188 posts

Joined April 2009

Kitsunemimi 2010-04-26T06:53:10+00:00

emmkayye wrote:
I use AVG because i think the NOrton and McAfee isn't very good.

Have you noticed it bitchin at practically everything on your drive thinking they're all viruses?

Esupanitix

393 posts

Joined June 2009

Esupanitix 2010-05-02T22:27:08+00:00

HOLY SHIT! *cancels McAfee update*

Yes, I get it, my profile doesn't show up to anyone but me. I don't understand it either, but surely there are better conversation topics than my lack of a viewable profile.

I color my greentexting green because I [REDACTED] feel like it.

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McAfee update causes damage to 800,000 computers worldwide

Davidz123 wrote:

Todesengal wrote:

Zekira wrote:

Doomsday93 wrote:

Pokebis wrote:

Todesengal wrote:

Davidz123 wrote:

Davidz123 wrote:

Davidz123 wrote:

Davidz123 wrote:

Zekira wrote:

Zekira wrote:

Todesengal wrote:

Pokebis wrote:

Davidz123 wrote:

Loginer wrote:

Davidz123 wrote:

emmkayye wrote:

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