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News trend: Malware/AntiVirus stories

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  • News trend: Malware/AntiVirus stories

    I subscribe to google news searches based on different search terms related to computer security and hacking, and occasionally, I will see trends in news stories.

    Over the past few days, there has been a significant increase in the frequency of stories related to malware:

    * "Set up your new computer safely and securely" (install anti-virus software)
    * PC Tools Offers Guidelines to Protect Computers from Cyber Threats
    * Costly security (anti-virus) software mistakes to avoid
    * Google adds site hacking notifications in search results (Sites that may try to compromise visitors' machines)
    * 2 Stories about same survey:
    * 25% of PC users disable antivirus software for performance reasons
    * Antivirus Users Impatient, Fickle: Survey (discovered that 25 percent of consumers turned off their AV applications at some point because they feared the security software was bogging down the performance of their computers.)


    This is significantly higher than usual. Is this suggestive of something new, or just a clever marketing scheme orchestrated by anti-virus manufacturers to encourage people to buy AntiVirus products during this shopping season when many people buy new computers?

    If this is a topic engineered for discussion in the news as an advertisement to consumers about the need to have and use AntiVirus software, are the news organizations being "socially engineered" into increasing awareness/advertising by carrying these news stories? If so, was I just socially engineered to write about this and ask why we are now seeing more news stories about antiviral software?

  • #2
    Re: News trend: Malware/AntiVirus stories

    I think that it is no coincidence that this increase comes about as we approach/enter the main shopping month(s) in the year.

    Anti-virus software are an easy enough product to sell to consumers as many do not know what exactly to look for when purchasing them. If there is enough technical jargon used to sell it off as a great product, the consumer will be sucked into buying it, only to discover that it is a fairly bog-standard anti-virus software that you can probably find a cracked version of on the internet if you google'd it...

    This is obviously my opinion though, I'm sure there are many out there who would completely disagree with this.

    Edit: I suppose with this issue only time will tell... If these news stories continue to trend by February/March time then maybe it is an issue which is trying to promote the constant use (and upgrading of) anti-virus software and to raise awareness of their importance.
    Last edited by DjDamyard; December 18, 2010, 19:21.
    while 1 == 1:
    print "Help, I've got myself stuck in a loop."

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    • #3
      Re: News trend: Malware/AntiVirus stories

      Originally posted by TheCotMan View Post
      If this is a topic engineered for discussion in the news as an advertisement to consumers about the need to have and use AntiVirus software, are the news organizations being "socially engineered" into increasing awareness/advertising by carrying these news stories?
      Exactly my thoughts too, propaganda fraud of the best kind. I remember a security guy from Symantec that was talking about a new virus on a news channel for 3 minutes minimum, the company's name popped up at least 3 times during the whole interview.

      Not only does the security company get a 'free of charge commercial moment' on the screen, but it also automatically fucks with other similar companies "we know this virus better than our competitors, because we raised awareness about it, buy our products"... it's like the perfect deal.

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      • #4
        Re: News trend: Malware/AntiVirus stories

        always a new virus that isnt detected at 1st... but av are necessary these days to respond to new threats... so long as computers + people are around, something can be clicked and internet $ can be made, then the computer virus will live on...
        Your Life Is Your Crime, It's Punishment Time

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        • #5
          Re: News trend: Malware/AntiVirus stories

          u get botnetted, u lose $, u call the govt to get ur $ back, govt spends $ to pay their agents to catch the botnets. then the govt starts using botnets themselves, u have malware espionage... welcome to the botnet layer cake...
          Your Life Is Your Crime, It's Punishment Time

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          • #6
            Re: News trend: Malware/AntiVirus stories

            sorry for thread hijacking but im using mobile web to post, so i can fit only 160 chars
            Your Life Is Your Crime, It's Punishment Time

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