back to article Panda antivirus labels itself as malware, then borks EVERYTHING

Panda users had a bad hair day on Wednesday, after the Spanish security software firm released an update that classified components of its own technology as malign. As a result, enterprise PCs running the antivirus software tied themselves in something of a knot, leaving some systems either unstable or unable to access the …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    anti-virus labels itself as malware, borks EVERYTHING

    Finally, safe computing

    1. Arctic fox
      Thumb Up

      Top class.

      See icon.

    2. Mark 85
      Trollface

      Re: anti-virus labels itself as malware, borks EVERYTHING

      Only if McAffe and Symantec follow suit.

      1. RAMChYLD Bronze badge

        Re: anti-virus labels itself as malware, borks EVERYTHING

        I thought Symantec did back in '06 or sometime around then. Borked my Win98 machine it did. And booting into Safe Mode and removing it screwed up my sound card drivers too.

        1. Danny 14

          Re: anti-virus labels itself as malware, borks EVERYTHING

          Sophos did a couple of years ago. By absolute chance the internet went down the night the bad update was pushed out to the Sophos manager so we were ok. By the time our internet was back the update had been pulled.

  2. Allan 1
    Joke

    There will be many sad panda's today.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Is it any wonder why the Panda is an endangered species ?

    2. Jimboom

      Who lives on the plain where it does rain?

      Self-Destruction Panda!

      Who explains viruses to you and me?

      Self-Destruction Panda!

      Don't click that, don't browse there..

      Don't download unknown files says the silly bear!

      He's come to tell you what's right and wrong..

      Self-Destruction Panda!

  3. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    Excellent implementation of Advice Dog's advice about system32!

    Carry on.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Mushroom

    Good luck, Jim. This tape will self-destruct in five seconds.

    Da daa ..da da.. da da.. da da da da

  5. Andrew Jones 2

    What happened to the thing where Windows had copies of it's system files and if they went missing or were altered in somewhere, Windows was supposed to restore them from it's secure backup on boot? Did I dream that happening?

    1. Crazy Operations Guy

      SFC doe sin fact keep a copy of Windows' boot-required files, but doesn't touch any third party files, which is what is happening here. Panda made some of its own files critical for the system to boot properly (these DLLs, intercept calls to the system network and file system stack to detect malware on-access), but were stupid enough to not include anything to protect them.

    2. DrakeFeatherwing
      Boffin

      Boot Disk

      Oh they had 'em at first, then they expected YOU to make your own via backup/restore. That way when they ask you, "Well, did you use your Recovery Disk?" and you tell them, "Nope." You'd have no one to blame but yourself.

  6. JeffyPoooh
    Pint

    "...Do not reboot, update Panda."

    "Worst antivirus every. Panda has today wiped files from system32 leaving rebooted computers bricked. Do not reboot, update Panda."

    Update Panda? How about 'Uninstall Panda'?

    1. Crazy Operations Guy

      Re: "...Do not reboot, update Panda."

      "How about 'Uninstall Panda'?"

      Isn't that what he just said?

      1. JeffyPoooh
        Pint

        Re: "...Do not reboot, update Panda."

        Not in the particular quote that I quoted in quotes. Which is what I quoted.

  7. Stevie

    Bah!

    Gooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllll!

  8. Martin
    FAIL

    Testing?

    OK- false positives sometimes happen. And every virus program has had some issues.

    But to detect your own program as malware indicates some pretty sloppy regression testing.

    I for one would be very reluctant to install anything by Panda again.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Looks like they've given themselves Two Blackeyes!

    It's really difficult to tell though.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    didn't know they were a Spanish outfit

    No siesta for you boys.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: didn't know they were a Spanish outfit

      It has also vaguely been linked to the Church of Scientolology by none other than John Leyden.

      I remember that article from before the godawful GWOT, before everything was linked to Al Qaeda and now Putin or even ISIS. Good times.

  11. Smitty Werbenjaegermanjensen - he was #1!
    Devil

    Rename:

    Ourobouros.

    1. nematoad Silver badge
      Thumb Up

      Re: Rename:

      "Ourobouros."

      Have an upvote for a good classical reference.

  12. Mikel

    Ah, the joys of Windows

    They never end.

  13. nnenn

    I have a standard Panda 2015 internet security license for three computers - I can confirm 2015 has been a complete disaster since installation (all three computers have had problems and numerous reinstallations ~ whereas 2014 was fine) Issues culminatinated in one completely broken computer this afternoon. How can Panda not acknowledge a problem with the standard product?

    The original problem was caused by a network bridge between wifi and Lan - Uninstall the bridge and everything worked - Reinstall and CPU elevates / resource errors then bsod!

    This afternoon I restarted one machine for Windows updates and Panda destroyed itself in the process ~ file association issues which don't repair after a cfs /scannow can't run anything *.exe

    I reported the original problems to product support several days ago and their response was a couple of uninstall programs and the latest version of 2015 which...blah,blah arse

    1. Hans 1
      Windows

      >This afternoon I restarted one machine for Windows updates and Panda destroyed itself in the process ~ file association issues which don't repair after a cfs /scannow can't run anything *.exe

      1. it is sfc /scannow and no, that will not fix file associations which are stored in your registry

      2. Check HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Classes\.exe\Command\Open, you might have to copy regedit.exe to regedit.scr or regedit.com prior to running it.

      Disclaimer: Not 100% sure of the registry path, no windows box at hand to look it up, but it is something like that, it might be exefile iso .exe.

    2. fajensen
      Thumb Up

      Hahaha - Next version of Panda 2015 will come with snap.do or wajam in the installer - like DivX does!

  14. Bob Dole (tm)

    Sounds like panda is actually fessing up to the truth: namely that AV is the problem. It's just that the auto installer has a few kinks.

  15. NotMyRealName
    FAIL

    Too little, too late

    Gawd! I spent the best part of today trying to get out of this black hole: I couldn't access programs. At least Safe Mode with Internet did work, after a fashion. But I wasn't able to find any info online about the cause, nor a solution. Umpteen nail-chewing reboots later, I think everything is now working -- and I've just learned what the problem was. Thank you, Panda!

  16. Sanctimonious Prick
    Megaphone

    Elephants!!!!!!

    FFS! It was the "Centro Nacional de Inteligencia, (CNI)." They were trying to keep up with the Five Eyes, but geez, they're dumb!!

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge

      Re: Elephants!!!!!!

      ¿Centro de Ni Idea?

  17. Robert E A Harvey

    i am amazed

    I didn't realize anyone used Panda anti-virus

    1. Jess--

      Re: i am amazed

      They used to be good, they were one of the first to detect / block code-red and nimda back in the day. A few years after that it turned into a nightmare.

      1. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
        Trollface

        Re: i am amazed

        Was then when they got a CFO?

    2. jebdra

      Re: i am amazed

      I'm even more amazed that anybody in enterprise uses it. Home users with free anti-virus - well maybe - but enterprise!

  18. Chris G

    Caveat emptor

    In my experience with 13 years here in Spain, it is generally considered good business to get as much money as possible for the lowest quality product you can get away with.

    I hope that is not the case here.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: Caveat emptor

      Haven't been to Wal-Mart lately? Or took a hard look around at just about every company? Some companies do, however, strive for lower than what you get away with...

  19. Bill Cumming

    just wondering

    If ITunes being down at the same time is just good timing or bad I.T. choices? ;)

  20. Florida1920
    Facepalm

    A Panda spokesman confirmed the ... issue was, well, in hand.

    I'll say!

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Panda Pop makes a comeback?

  22. Javapapa

    Fawlty Software

    Manuel, you nitwit, I said "test the patch", not "mess the batch"!

    ?Que?

    1. chivo243 Silver badge
      Windows

      Re: Fawlty Software

      Love the reference! have an up vote! Seems like the Panda ate the kippers and is now the corpse.

      In the end, all AV seems to have an uphill battle. Last week it was AVG with issues, this week Panda. I remember Norton and McAffee's bad days too... Nothing says love like reinstalling a whole lab in the aftermath.

      So, fellow commentard windows users, what product do you find best for AV protection?

      I know install linux... but if that is not an option? What then?

      1. fajensen

        Re: Fawlty Software

        Microsoft Security Essentials and System Restore.

        MSE doesn't really *do* anything (except making the red "anti-virus" warning go away), so it doesn't fail and screw your system over either. The big problem today is malware, addware and crapware - snap.do and wajam for example; these little pieces of shit can only be uninstalled with system restore /fresh start.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Fawlty Software

        I know install linux... but if that is not an option? What then?

        Eset NOD32. Got turned onto it back in the day - before ACV got ruined by the trolls. After a couple of years researching (including building up a malware collection for my own testing) came to the conclusion that the best were Kaspersky and Eset. Used Kaspersky until about when Vista came out and they went the bloatware course (and had one or two serious bad def updates doing the usual). Switched to NOD32. In about ten years the only problem I've ever had with them was with a beta - which didn't stop the system working, just itself (when Data Execution Prevention was enabled). So, no problems (with RTM versions) in all that time, no compromises - and - unlike Kaspersky - never any impact on performance. Also cheap.

        I run Linux too btw.

        1. Paul Woodhouse

          Re: Fawlty Software

          Another Vote for ESET Nod32 here... I've been using it exclusively on about 300 computers for 7 or 8 years now and never had a virus get in, nor have I ever had to fix a computer it had totally bricked, a few issues with it not playing nicely with an outlook plugin but that'll be the outlook plug ins fault rather than eset's...

      3. Inselaf
        Happy

        Re: Fawlty Software

        Personally I have used Bit Defender Total Security since its concept. I know as in all such programs there are people out there that have issues with different programs. Still I have tried a number of other Firms AV/Firewall programs & found them to be wanting.

        I recommend Bit Defender as private & Industrial protection. NO I am not working for them, I am just a very satisfied customer of theirs.

  23. Mister_C
    FAIL

    Don't reboot

    Advice given on Patch Tuesday...

  24. Duffaboy

    At first I thought I was reading an Article about another Malware specialist

    And then I realised it was PANDA and not the yellow shield

  25. imanidiot Silver badge
    Mushroom

    So

    Finally an AV package that works!

  26. Canker

    Testing?

    Mañana, mañana

  27. Zot

    Straight answer to stopping a viral infections is to...

    Stop using pirated software!! FOR EVER.

    That copy of Photoshop you happen to have is not as innocent as you think, you don't know what it's allowing in, and most importantly, what it's sending out.

    Just use MS Security Essentials - if it's good enough for my 80 year old Dad, then it's good enough for me. Neither of us download software from dodgy sites, anyway.

    It's sad to think that some people would simply not believe me, but that pirating kid grew up.

    1. Zot
      Mushroom

      Re: Straight answer to stopping a viral infections is to...

      If you don't download shit you won't get shit, stop blaming the computer, it's YOU!

    2. fajensen
      Paris Hilton

      Re: Straight answer to stopping a viral infections is to...

      Java (ask.com) and Divx (Wajam) is Pirated Software? I didn't know that!

      Paris - because she may be the bringer of another strain of extra something also (but we still want it).

      1. Zot

        Re: Straight answer to stopping a viral infections is to...

        "Java (ask.com) and Divx (Wajam) is Pirated Software? I didn't know that!"

        I don't need DivX, why would I need DivX? - OH right, it's used for 'ripped' stuff, right?

  28. anonymous boring coward Silver badge

    Honesty

    Honesty doesn't always pay.

  29. Archaon
    Mushroom

    Pandamonium

    The first time I installed Panda was back in the times of demo CDs on the front of PC magazines. I installed Panda to give it a go. On the obligatory reboot for installing pretty much anything under Windows 98SE it completely bricked my OS resulting in a lovely afternoon of restoring to factory settings.

    Yes, I know it was 15 years ago, get over it etc etc. Unfortunately for Panda there's a lot of AV vendors that would have to really piss me off before I'd consider going near a Panda product again; and that was before it started confusing itself with bamboo and having a munch.

  30. Fish72

    HAHAHAH@Pandamonium "and that was before it started confusing itself with bamboo and having a munch"

  31. ialonsoa

    Panda Security - Information regarding the issue

    The problem was already fixed yesterday. However if you have been affected and still have any issues please go to:

    http://www.pandasecurity.com/uk/homeusers/support/card?id=100045.

    Please accept our sincere appologies on this issue

  32. atlatl265

    DivX malware

    Got a copy of DivX when I purchased Roxio Creator several years ago. I now run Malware Bytes Pro and Kaspersky Internet Security, neither ever detected snap.do or wajam. Prior to Kaspersky, I ran Eset NOD for A/V and AdAware Pro for malware detection, again neither program ever detected snap.do or wajam. Are there versions of DivX without this malware ? Thanks atlatl

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like