Hackers can crack top antivirus program

[dark_shadows]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Symantec Corp.'s leading antivirus software, which protects some of the world's largest corporations and U.S. government agencies, suffers from a flaw that lets hackers seize control of computers to steal sensitive data, delete files or implant malicious programs, researchers said Thursday.

Symantec said it was investigating the issue but could not immediately corroborate the vulnerability. If confirmed, the threat to computer users would be severe because the security software is so widely used and because no action is required by victims using the latest versions of Symantec Antivirus to suffer a crippling attack over the Internet.

Symantec has boasted that its antivirus products are installed on more than 200 million computers. A spokesman, Mike Bradshaw, said the company was examining the reported flaw but described it as "so new that we don't have any details."
news link

 

[CyberLaw]

Security companies, companies and even Microsoft are "always" playing catch up, just behind the Hackers.

Mostly in a position of "oh no" they found it, expolited it, caused havov, and now we have to "patch the software" of course after the fact.......

 

[Jeana (DP)]

Why don't they hire the hackers? Remember that guy who counterfeited all those checks? They eventually hired him in order to implement security measures and prevent further theft.

 

[Paladin]

Why don't they hire the hackers? Remember that guy who counterfeited all those checks? They eventually hired him in order to implement security measures and prevent further theft.

The FBI does. There's a hackers convention in Las Vegas every year called DefCon, I think it's up to it's 14th or 15th year. The FBI goes undercover to these conventions and basically scope out potential employees.

 

[CyberLaw]

One of the ""Hacker" bragged about a job he did and was so well known and revered amongst Hackers", that he was choosen to be made the Keynote speaker.

Well the cops knew about him long before this, were looking for him, they knew he would be there and just to add to it, listened to his "address" where he bragged and admited his "hacker exploits" and the way he did it.

Enough said........quite enough for the cops......