BitDefender update cripples Windows computers

Having installed the latest update for the BitDefender virus scanner this morning some users found their Windows installation would no longer boot. Reader emails received by heise online, The H's associated publication in Germany, confirmed problems with this update. On the BitDefender forum, discussions of potential causes of the system failing to start included missing DLLs and EXE files.

According to BitDefender, a flaw in the virus scanner caused various system files to be mistakenly classified as infected by a virus (Trojan.FakeAlert.5) and, therefore, quarantined. It appears that only PCs with 64-bit Windows installations are affected. Users are advised to install a patch as soon as possible. Details on how to deal with booting problems are provided in the article False Positive on Windows 7 X64 at the BitDefender website.

See also:

• Trojan.FakeAlert.5 Update issue, press release from BitDefender.

(crve)