Microsoft deletes Norton

A recent update to Microsoft's anti-spyware application flags Norton as a password-stealing program and prompts users to remove it.

For some reason, known only to the Vole, the latest spyware definitions file from Microsoft "(version 5805, 5807) detects Symantec Antivirus files as PWS.Bancos.A (Password Stealer)."

If anyone tried to remove the flagged file, Norton gets hopelessly corrupted, throws its toys out of the pram and refuses to work.

Then Norton users have to go through the a delicate ballet which involves deleting multiple entries in the registry.

A spokesVole said that it is shipping updates to fix this problem. However given the fact that the whole problem was caused by an update in the first place, this news is bound to fill Norton users with joy.

Of course Vole can always say that its anti-spyware software is just a beta and you get what you deserve when you play with it.

More at the Washington Post, here. µ