Issues Not corrected in latest build of Windows Defender

[Guest]

The issue of Norton Antivirus blocking the scanning of the Symantec Shared\
and NSW\Norton Antivirus\ folders by WD. (tamper protection) multiple times
daily. Over 20 entries in my Symantec Activity Log just this morning. MS
needs to talk to Symantec or visa versa to work this out.

Inability to prevent WD from scanning specific Folders in
Tools\Options\Advanced Options. Placing a path to a folder (not a specific
executable) in that textbox still does not work. This feature properly
working would possibly prevent the previous issue!

Both issues were discussed last couple of months during the prior build.

New minor item noted on the latest build is a fine border around the
"options" link on the WD "Tools and Options" window under "settings". It
could possibly be set up to be the default for the page - but looks funny.

Any other items still unresolved on your lists?

 

[Guest]

I am thinking badly probably, but I have as the impression that, after all,
neither Microsoft and neither Symantec interest a lot to resolve this
problem.
Indeed, these two big house are now competitors with similar applications
for secutity.
Someone had preannounced that the ascent of Microsoft in this sector would
not have much benefited to the end user...
But I don't want to lose the hopes yet.

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

I see that little border, too--and agree that it looks odd.

Other than log entries, does the tamper protection issue seem to have any
other effect?
It wouldn't surprise me to hear, for example, that Symantec will recognize
released, digitally signed, apps, and so this might not go away until after
release. I'm not saying that I've heard anything like that, but it is
within the range of possibilities, I suspect.

It'd be nice to know whether "path only" is intended functionality in that
box. The wording seems to imply it, but perhaps that's either not possible,
or a security risk. (I mean--we know is isn't possible--hmm--we know it IS
possible with a registry hack--so I guess the question is whether this is
broken, or not possible because it would be a security issue.)

 

[Guest]

Hi Bill, Thanks for the response.

I will try a specific path to an exe in the "don't scan specific items "
under "Tools\Options\Advanced Options" to see if the feature is for files
only, or if it isn't turned on yet.

Having WD not scan files or "folders" wouldn't be a security issue, because
the tamper proof feature on Norton would still be operational, not letting
any other program change or disable it. It just wouldn't have to block WD
from scanning NAV umpteen times a day, and wouldn't clog up the symantec
event log. (there are about half a dozen files Symantec blocks from scanning,
not just 1) Then the users would have the option of which config to use. I
have seen several complaints about this the last couple of months, even to
the point guys are disabling the tamper protection built into NAV, which is
both bass ackwards and really not secure.

Any one at MS you know that could help us regarding this issue, at least to
let us know they are aware of it?

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Microsoft is aware that users are seeing log entries from several Symantec
products which have this feature. As I say, I don't know what would be
involved in "fixing" this. One fix, of course, is not to look at the logs.
Another might be for Symantec to "recognize" that Windows Defender is
benign--and that might have to wait for release--vendors don't usually spend
money modifying their products for their competitors beta products. I don't
know what will happen with this, but I can say that Microsoft has read the
messages about it in these groups and looked at the issue.

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