False positive update for 01-20-2010.

Some of you may have noticed that Windows OneCare Live has recently been flagging StopSign as malware. This is a false positive! This happens sometimes among Internet security software providers. We’ve been in contact with Microsoft’s team, they’ve acknowledged that it’s a false positive, and they’re working on a resolution.

Here’s a quote from an email by our lead software developer regarding this issue:

I’ve just received an email from Microsoft stating that they believe that they have
correctly fixed the false positive problem, and the fix will be included in the updated set
of definitions, which should be published in the next day or so.

When the update is released publicly we’ll make an update to this post, so please check back if you’d like to know when the fix to this false positive is live.

UPDATE (01/22/2010): The Microsoft Malware Protection Center has confirmed the false positive and fixed the original bug. Here is an excerpt from their email confirmation:

Thank you for your recent inquiry about StopSign Internet Security and the issue you reported. The definition library for Microsoft Windows Defender has been updated to version 1.71.2391.0. We believe this new definition library contains the updates necessary to address the issue that you raised. This new definition library is now available for users who subscribe to the automatic definition update mechanism, as well as users who choose to manually update their definition library.

However, you may have noticed I wrote “…the original bug.” It looks like they have a new false positive in the safe file affected last time, and we have a new update request in to them. More details as we get them.

UPDATE (03/03/2010): The Microsoft Malware Protection Center has released a new signature to fix the false positive (“Adware:Win32/Exact“) addressed in this post. This should close out the false positive.

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2009.

This month, October 2009, marks the 6th anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the United States, and President Obama has issued a presidential proclamation regarding this event. The use of technology has been a staple of the current administration’s public discussions, and online security concerns have been a part of the conversation from the beginning. President Obama spoke about the the need for securing the US cyber infrastructure during a speech in May of this year, noting:

America’s economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity.

Clearly internet security will continue to be an important topic for American families, businesses, and government networks now and in the future. As part of the information campaign surrounding National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the Department of Homeland Security website lists 3 core practices they recommend, which include topics we discussed in our blog post regarding the basics of Internet security:

  • Install antivirus and antispyware programs and keep them up to date,
  • Install a firewall and keep it properly configured, and
  • Regularly install updates for your computer’s operating system.

Special Offer: During National Cyber Security Awareness Month we are offering our StopSign Internet Security software (which includes antivirus, antispyware, and an available firewall) at a discount of 20% off with the coupon code “NCSAM” at our shopping cart https://shop.stopsign.com/. (The site will open in a new window.) Please note that the discount will not be applied to the StopSign CD box.

If you don’t see the coupon entry form right away, click on the coupon code link in “Step 2” on the cart to enter your coupon code before you order!

 

There are many events planned for National Cyber Security Awareness Month on a national as well as a state level, and we encourage you to attend and/or view them online and use that information as a base to evaluate your current cyber security level and update if necessary. For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month or government recommendations on cyber security, please visit StaySafeOnline.org.

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.

StopSign™ is Windows 7 Compatible.

Windows 7, Microsoft’s newest operating system, is set for release on October 22nd, 2009, and we are proud to announce that StopSign™ Internet Security is now compatible with Windows 7. (With a month to spare!) Our software development teams have been working overtime to ensure that our loyal customers who upgrade, or buy a new PC with Windows 7, can rest assured that they will be able to use StopSign immediately.

Update: Our press release regarding StopSign Windows 7 compatibility has additional details and can be seen at PRWeb.com and BestSecurityTips.com.

If you're looking for great anti-virus software that won't break the bank, try StopSign. You don't pay extra for tech support for difficult malware, and our web protection software just works. Download & install StopSign to find out why our members choose us over the other options.