RE: [Full-Disclosure] Symantec wants to criminalize security info sharing

From: Richard M. Smith (rms_at_computerbytesman.com)
Date: 09/21/03

  • Next message: phlox: "Re: [Full-Disclosure] Probable new MS DCOM RPC worm for Windows" 
    To: "'Bruce Ediger'" <eballen1@qwest.net>, <full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com>
Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2003 19:55:11 -0400

    My understanding is that most of the spammers are selling pirated
    versions of Norton. Symantec has every incentive to shut these spammers
    down.

    Richard

    -----Original Message-----
    From: full-disclosure-admin@lists.netsys.com
    [mailto:full-disclosure-admin@lists.netsys.com] On Behalf Of Bruce
    Ediger
    Sent: Saturday, September 20, 2003 5:52 PM
    To: full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com
    Subject: RE: [Full-Disclosure] Symantec wants to criminalize security
    info sharing

    On Sat, 20 Sep 2003, Jonathan A. Zdziarski wrote:

    > Has anyone called a boycott of Symantec lately?

    No, but we should, for two specific reasons:

    1. They support spammers. How many years have you been getting
    the spams for "Really Cheap Norton Systemworks" packages? And
    how many complaints have you made to spamwatch@symantec.com?
    And how much in the way of results have you seen?

    I think I've gotten regularly scheduled spams from at least 3 spam
    operations over the last 3 years, all advertising cheap Systemworks.

    Clearly, Symantec is funding this spamming. And don't tell me that
    they won a suit against a spammer - why did I get two copies of the spam
    today alone?

    2. They're an anti-virus firm, but the best they can offer is "update
    your virus signature files regularly", even though that's about as
    effective
    as shouting "U SUKK!!!!" at the viruses, based on how many copies of
    Sobig.f
    and Swen I've gotten.

    At least they could admit that trying to protect Windows/MSFT products
    is
    pretty hopeless, and encourage people to switch to more functional, yet
    free products like Pine, or mailx or whatever Mac OS X uses to read
    email.
    None of them have ever had a macro virus, despite many, many buffer
    overflows
    and other disgusting security problems.

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