Symantec Has Been Sued By A Chinese User Over Tricky Updates

According to the news published by Channel register on June 5, 2007, security experts believe that a Chinese user, trying to sue Symantec for recovering the losses caused by tricky updates of anti-virus signature files, is least likely to succeed.

A solicitor from Southern Guangdong Province, Liu Shihui, is taking legal action against Symantec and has demanded $215 as compensation of the damages caused by a signature update of Norton anti-virus, which recognizes 2 Windows XP files as deadly.

No doubt, Liu's lawsuit is considered to be the first of its kind in China, but security experts are cynical about its successful implementation because of Symantec's limited warranty. There was one more lawsuit filed against Symantec which demanded $6542.

According to the news published by Channel register on June 5, 2007, a senior partner with systems integrator Brook out Solutions, Phil Higgins, although not a perfectionist in Chinese Law, said that a case like this has minimum chances to be succeeded because the IT companies usually have warranty conditions with their software.

With a faulty update issued on May 18, 2007, the software of Symantec has also mistakenly recognized two system files (netapp32.dll and Isasrv.dll) or the simple version in Chinese Windows XP SP2 as Haxdoor Trojan.

According to the news in the third week of May published in Computer world, the update done by Norton's anti-virus database on May 18, 2007 brings huge losses for several PCs and as a result hampering people's businesses and daily work.

According to the news published by It news on May 18, 2007, when Symantec understood the extent of losses caused due to this flaw, they realized the seriousness of this "flaw". Moreover, in the view of U.S., CERT, this mistake can make the systems more prone to hackers.

According to the news published by Computer world on June 5, 2007, a spokesman for the Cupertino, Calif-based Security Company, Cris Paden acknowledged that he had only the information about two lawsuits and had no idea about anything else.

According to the news by Computer world on June 5, 2007, after 18 May, within a week, the officials of Symantec had given compensation to the users. A senior director of Symantec's security response, Vincent Weafer said that as soon as the technical staff completes the back up of the systems, the company will take other matters in hand.

Paden continues by saying that they are still working on their compensation plans and talks are going on with the customers as well as the government agencies for solving their queries.

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» SPAMfighter News - 6/18/2007