PocketPCMinds Review Of Symantec Anti-Virus Software For Pocket PC

[Ed Hansberry]

<a href="http://www.pocketpcminds.com/miraserver/article.php?id=139">http://www.pocketpcminds.com/miraserver/article.php?id=139</a><br /><br />Corey McLaughlin has written a review of Symantec's Anti-Virus software for the Pocket PC, complete with tons of screen shots giving you a good overview of what to expect from this product. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/hansberry/2003/20030908-symantecantivirus.jpg" /><br /><br />Now, all we need is for someone to actually <i>write</i> a virus that runs on the Pocket PC then find an army of goobers that will click on anything they download. :?

[Boxster S]

There's a sucker born everyday, and I'm sure that a dozen busloads will buy this product

[sponge]

Thank god for Norton! Now EICAR_TEST_FILE can't ravage my system!

[Ed Hansberry]

Thank god for Norton! Now EICAR_TEST_FILE can't ravage my system!:rotfl: I actually used my PPC to transport the EICAR test file from my work PC to home because the email server kept blocking it. If I installed this app, I wouldn't be able to do that.

[merk1821]

im a goober....where do i sign up? :silly:

[kiwi]

right, so now there's more incentive's for people to write a virus for PPC.. to be one of the first that Norton will pick up.. bleh..

[admdvs]

Norton.....

Who do you think writes most viruses / viruii ?

Norton....

Think about it. The most popular viruses get in the media, the more copies of their anti-virus software they sell. Most viruses are written by anti-virus software sellers !!

(anyways... that's what i believe)

[Sven Johannsen]

I'm sort of reminded of the camp/Boy Scout skit where one is on stage whooping and swinging arms wildly. When asked what he is doing, the Scout says he is keeping away the wild elephants. The questioner exclaims, there isn't a wild elephant within a thousand miles of here. Wow! says the Scout, I didn't know it worked that well.

[Jeff Rutledge]

im a goober....where do i sign up? :silly:

:rotfl:

Goober...

That's just one of those words that makes me laugh. Say it out loud and you'll see what I mean.

Personally I think that a PPC virus will be the sign that we've made it. 8)

This is like a lot of celebrities will say they knew they made it when SNL spoofed them.

[heliod]

I think that the point of the software is not protecting the Pocket PC itself from viruses, but preventing it from transmitting viruses we download wirelessly to be transmitted to the PC when we sync.

But I myself also don't think it would still be necessary...

[danmanmayer]

yeah seriously there hasn't been a mobile virus yet. If there is a sudden influx of them I am going to have to start war with norton. On the other hand right now i could write a virus scanner and sell it cheaper. It could read all the files on the system and report viruses found 0. I think the average pocket pc user has to be much more computer savy than the average computer user. So perhaps people will pe smarter when it comes to viruses on pocket pcs. Maybe not... I think for now i would be safe and at least everything on my pocket pc is backed up on my computer.

[klinux]

Yup, NAV for PPC is about as useful as a NAC for Mac OS X, Linux, etc...

[dh]

Should a bunch of PPC viruses suddenly show up, I will always suspect them of coming from Symantec or one of the other anti virus companies.
I will therefore try to find a freeware application or a pirated one to use if virus protection is needed. I would never pay these people a penny for this.

[bazza]

Do you think that there will eventually be a PPC virus - and do you think we will have to pay for the privilege of using that particular software - sorry I meant code or do you think finally we will get some freeware?!! :wink:

Unfortunately, people who have downloaded the AV software are already paying - I hate to admit it - I'm a goober!! :oops: :silly:

How do you get your clicks?

[bjornkeizers]

I think that the point of the software is not protecting the Pocket PC itself from viruses, but preventing it from transmitting viruses we download wirelessly to be transmitted to the PC when we sync.

But I myself also don't think it would still be necessary...

While this is, in theory, a valid reason, think of it this way..

Yes, I might pick up an infected document from someone's PC. I put it on my card and if I connect it to my other PC and open it, my PC might get infected. So far, antivirus sounds like a good plan right?

Now, if I ran this antivirus stuff on my PPC, I'd need to update it just as often as my PC's antivirus right? We could in theory "sync" these via avantgo, but not everybody wants to download that stuff all the time; and I don't really sync that often to begin with.

If I want to protect my PC, I'll install the AV software there. It's pointless to have it on a PPC on the off chance that it'll catch something, plus it'd cut my PPC's performance.

[bazza]

Now, if I ran this antivirus stuff on my PPC, I'd need to update it just as often as my PC's antivirus right? We could in theory "sync" these via avantgo, but not everybody wants to download that stuff all the time; and I don't really sync that often to begin with.

If I want to protect my PC, I'll install the AV software there. It's pointless to have it on a PPC on the off chance that it'll catch something, plus it'd cut my PPC's performance.




I have been running the AV software on my PPC for a week and it hasn't affected performance. This is somewhat anecdotal as I don't have the benchmarks, however, there is no visible decrease in speed. :D

Regarding updating - you update via "live update" using your PC - I update my PC every day, and then when you sync, using Active Sync, it updates the PPC. It adds 5 sec at the most. :roll:

Proactive or reactive?

Peace of mind - absolutely!
Necessary - absolutely not!

Expensive - definitely.
:silly:

[sponge]

People seem to think just because we have to fight with virii for Windows, that we have to for every other platform! Look at Mac or Linux, very little virii. They don't even worry about antiviruses. Windows is the only one when it comes down to it.

[dMores]

must be because mac and linux users are a sworn-in little group, and would never do anything to harm the clique's members.

:P

[Brad Adrian]

Who do you think writes most viruses / viruii ?
I hear this kind of comment fairly often and wonder if it isn't just a tad bit too cynical. I've never seen anything that could remotely be considered evidence.

Besides, everybody knows that computer viruses are part of a greater government conspiracy to deflect attention from the alien spaceships being stored in Bill Gates's underground cryogenics laboratory.

[jgahr]

Airscanner Mobile, free for personal use, in the event it is needed. Sniffer also available.
http://www.airscanner.com/
:mrgreen:

[smittyofdhs]

Norton.....

Who do you think writes most viruses / viruii ?

Norton....

Think about it. The most popular viruses get in the media, the more copies of their anti-virus software they sell. Most viruses are written by anti-virus software sellers !!

(anyways... that's what i believe)


do you really believe this? Yeah, and the guy they just arrested for putting out the msblast virus works for Norton, right? Dear god, when are the attacks on Norton going to stop.

[Steven Cedrone]

I hear this kind of comment fairly often and wonder if it isn't just a tad bit too cynical. I've never seen anything that could remotely be considered evidence.

Agreed. There is no way these companies would ever write and release a virus. They won't even hire a person that writes or has written a virus (if you think the quickest way to get hired by these companies is to let loose a virus, you are wrong!)...

Besides, everybody knows that computer viruses are part of a greater government conspiracy to deflect attention from the alien spaceships being stored in Bill Gates's underground cryogenics laboratory.

That's the second time I've heard about this... 8O

I'm starting to wonder... :wink:

Steve

[Jerry Raia]

must be because mac and linux users are a sworn-in little group, and would never do anything to harm the clique's members.

:P

Yeah, all 10 of them. 8)

[skywarner]

http://ca.com/antivirus/pocketpc_offer/

Perhaps worthy of posting on the main Pocket PC Thoughts page? ;-)

[Jerry Raia]

Looks interesting, but the link to the download didnt work. :cry:

[shindullin]

I was told in an internet security class several years ago that the largest # of viruses were coming from the former communist block countries(former govt programmers w/nothing to do and a bit of anger at the west bc the west had jobs and weren't hiring them at the time). I don't know where the big "source" is today or even if there is a concentrated "source" anymore as I'm no longer involved in that stuff.
I wouldn't argue that antivirus companies probably feel a perverse glee when outbreaks like blaster and sobig come around bc the rush of people to the stores buying the software at full price boost's their bottom line considerably and it's probably exciting to seek and destroy the new threat. However, it's no different from the rush paramedics get from helping a guy who got hit by a car or a police officer feels when in hot pursuit of a criminal; but that doesn't automatically made the paramedic a hit and run suspect or the cop a crime suspect.
Fact of the matter is, there are bad people out there who get a kick out of screwing the rest of us. Hence arsonists, serial murderers, child abductors and serial rapists.
Just bc a company makes a buck (or a lot of bucks in the case of a Norton or McAffee) protecting us from the ravages of the demented doesn't make them demented themselves. I think that the real objection is that they charge too much for their services, especially when they're needed most. In most other industries that would be usery and illegal. You don't made water more expensive (or charge the "full price" that you never charge unless there is an emergency) just because there's a fire. If the utilities tried to do that there would be a riot and people would goto jail. But you NEVER pay "full price" for antivirus software and update subscriptions unless there is a major new bug or worm out there that everyone is freaking out about. That's ripping people off because they're in dire need and that's just wrong. Also, the release stuff like PPC antivirus protection in the wake of the sobig virus. How much you want to bet that there's a big "sale" on the software in a few months as long as no new outbreak occurs only to have it go back up to it's "original" price if something bad happens? Hence they deserve a bit of ire for their unethical pricing tactics but I think that accusations that they are evil enough to manufacture viruses to bolster their own industry is unfair.

[Steven Cedrone]

Looks interesting, but the link to the download didnt work. :cry:

The offer is there, but you have to register to download (look in the middle of the page)...

http://ca.com/antivirus/pocketpc_offer/i/download-over.gif

Steve

[Jerry Raia]

This is all get after I register and try to go to the page. Did it work for you?

"Error: There was a form parameter missing.
Message: "

[smittyofdhs]

Ok, in the interest of checking out the app and just to make sure there's no security holes into my network I purchased and installed the app.

Well, typical Symantec product...doesn't work properly. The install went fine, the product seems to work until I soft reset my PPCPE. Now, active sync won't connect except for as a GUEST. I removed AV from the PPCPE and now ActiveSync works again. Somehow, the AV install on the PPCPE is preventing activesync from hooking up correctly. Anyone (who has installed the software) have any ideas?


**UPDATE**
I may have solved my own issue. I went ahead and installed AS3.7 to seee if it would help at all. So far so good. I had issues with AS3.7 when it first came out so i reverted back to 3.6, maybe it's fixed now???

[skywarner]

I was able to register and d/l the CA virus scanner using IE 6 on a Windows 2000 workstation with no difficulties...

[ctmagnus]

Hm.. Depending in whether you live in US or Canada, you can get it for $40. I wonder if Canadians can get it for $40USD?