UK Government Slams Useless Anti-Virus Industry
from the how-about-a-product-that-works? dept
It appears the UK government has caught on to what a lot of people have been noticing lately: most anti-virus software hasn’t done anything to stop viruses. In fact, they found that, while 99% of companies were using anti-virus software, 68% were still infected with viruses. It makes them (and lots of others) wonder what good anti-virus software is at all. It seems clear that the tide is turning towards more proactive anti-virus methods, though there seem to be very few of these on the market. Of course, as with any new solution, in the mad dash away from the “non-working” solution, it appears that not everyone is thinking about any sort of unintended consequences of a proactive solution. Proactive solutions are much more likely to create “false positives” (something reactive anti-virus solutions rarely do). It also means that virus writers are likely to change tactics, and look to somehow piggyback new viruses on processes that look legitimate. I do think that more proactive means are necessary – but being aware of the consequences, and being prepared for them is also important. Right now, it’s not clear if those pushing for proactive solutions have thought it through completely.
