All anti-virus vedors release faulty updates at one point or another but Microsoft takes the cake. An update it released for its Windows Live OneCare antivirus suite mistakenly identified the popular VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) software Skype as a trojan.

The overprotective file identified Skype as a Trojan and blocked the software which irritated users of the software. 

According to Cnet News,

"Microsoft says it was trying to block a multiple-component family of programs that deliver "out of context" pop-up advertisements, and mistakenly included Skype."

Skype says this isn’t the case now.  True, that isn’t the case now because it took Microsoft four days to release an update and "unblock" Skype from its troublesome software.  Four days.  The response time from other vendors is much better.  Trend Micro, Kaspersky, AVG and others usually have fixes out for faulty updates within hours of releasing them.

I thought Microsoft was supposed to be fixing all these update problems, it should start here.  Way to go, now would be a good time to note that OneCare cannot be treated like Windows or a faulty Windows update.  Or, maybe it can but its not the best policy.

Related:

Entry was posted on Sunday, April 27th, 2008 at 8:31 am under Microsoft.

Read more entries by Jonathan Schlaffer.
Stumble It!