Norton Antivirus Flags System Files as Viruses

Users running Chinese version of Windows XP SP2 along with Norton Antivirus fell into serious trouble, as their antivirus software caught two essential system files, netapi32.dll and lsasrv.dll, as “Backdoor.Haxdoor” Trojans and wiped it out.

Norton released an updated version of virus definition on Friday at around 1.00 AM local time. It removes those two system files and leaving your computer dead with Blue Screen of Death. Booting via Safe mode didn’t help. All Symantec could do was to post instructions (original) to restore those two files via Windows XP recovery console from the Installation CD.

Fortunately for those who didn’t restart their computers after the definition update, Symantec released another definition updated on the same day at around 2.30PM (Beijing time) which fixes the problems created by the previous definition update.

Those who couldn’t retain the installation CD or use pirated version of Windows XP must be cursing Symantec!

This mess should certainly scare away considerable number of customers from Symantec. What if something like this happened worldwide? Symantec would have been screwed forever!

Via Cybernetnews

This post was published by on May 23, 2007

About the Author: Thilak Rao works as a Social Media Expert. He is one of the first professional bloggers from India, and he loves to write, travel and click photos. Follow him on Twitter @thilak

  • http://samirbharadwaj.com Samir

    I’ve been trying to tell people this for years and they never believed me. Now we have undisputable proof!

    Windows is a virus. :D

  • http://techmantra.net Vikram

    This is the really worst thing!! It also damages the system files also from the system32 folder.But i think it till now it affected only china .. Am i Right ?

  • http://www.avirtualexit.com Web 2.0

    I won’t say screwed. Don’t forget Symantec is a huge company. But it is a big time issue that as you indicate fixe it ASAP.

  • http://www.rishiraj.info Rishi

    I know this. Norton is sick, I currently use ClamWin which was also referred by you ;) .

    Which other anti-virus do you prefer?

  • http://www.thenetguruz.com Mohd. Hashim Khan

    LoL that must have caused a real trouble, since mostly what people use in china is pirated windows. Don’t know about their antivirus preference but norton is used on most systems. I think they should switch to nod32 as they feature a chinese kung fu fighter model on their site :P

  • http://www.pnbsoftware.com Venugopal Chitragar

    Please contact for more information on Rudra Antivirus…

  • http://tech-buzz.net Thilak

    Rishi: Well, I guess Clamwin should be good enough for everyone. Any recommendation, anyone?

  • http://tech-buzz.net Thilak

    Samir: Yeah, I bet you must be talking about Windows Vista!

  • http://www.pallab.net/2007/05/11/virusgr-releases-new-test-results/ Pallab

    Clamwin is also absolute crap. It misses out on a heck of a lot of trojans.
    Best Free option : Avira AntiVir. This is better than paid optoins like norton, mcaffe, pc-cillin, panda etc.
    Best over all : Kaspersky Antivirus.

    While choosing an AV pay close attention to it’s detection rate and update frequency.
    Av-Comparatives and virus.gr tests av software at regular intervals.

  • http://samirbharadwaj.com Samir

    Thilak: Aah Vista … I’m not even courageous enough to try that one.

    As far as alternate Virus protection goes, in addition to Clamwin, I have personally tried Avira and AOL Active Virus Shield. Either of those is more than adequate. I’ve never needed any commercial solutions myself.

  • RAVINDRA S CHITRAGAR

    There is no doubt about NRTON 360 being a very good anti virus software.

    Just install and forget it.. it keeps working by itself.. (Some initial set up has to be done as per your convenience)

  • http://techmantra.net/ Vikram

    This is the really worst thing!! It also damages the system files also from the system32 folder.But i think it till now it affected only china .. Am i Right ?