cannot install VLC MP on Win 7 with AVG 2011

[rwljll]

I I have been using VLC 0.9.2, and it has always worked perfectly. The last movies I rented would not play on VLC. I deceided to check for updates, I clicked on "Check for Update", The computer failed when of installing, I then went to VLC Windows download and clicked. After the program had completely downloaded, I tried to run what I had downloaded. It said a version of VLC was already installed, but that would be removed then the new VLC release would be installed. In the process of installing AVG 2011 displayed a large RED box that said MALWARE. AVG then proceeded to delete what was installed, and restarted the computer. This is my problem. I have a 17.3" LED screen HP Pavillion laptop running Win 7 Home Premium ver. I have been using this computer for 13 months. I absolutely dont know what to do now. I am afraid to DISABLE AVG during the VLC install! What should I do? I am 70 yrs old, but have quite a bit of computer expertise.

[Cytheria]

You have a lot of computer experience you say, but are afraid to disable your FREE AVG antivirus that isn't foolproof and can give you incorrect virus readings? The answer is simple, disable AVG while installing. AVG is known to give considerable false positives. Stop being paranoid...either that or get yourself a better antivirus.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Did you download VLC from videolan.org and not another website?

[Zurg]

I also downloaded version 1.1.8 from the official download link on this site this afternoon and scanned it with Kaspersky Internet Security 2011 before installing and got the all clear. But after running VLC player once I got a virus infection alert for 'Trojan.Win32.TDSS.ccpy' in 'vlc-1.1.8-win32.exe' and had to disinfect and reboot. I am running Windows XP SP3 fully updated.

[Excalibur]

Yeah, me too. I also downloaded from official page, and also tried updating thorugh VLC. Same thing :Trojan.Win32.TDSS.ccpy

[PennP]

Add me to the list of users with the Trojan problem. I noticed that the file was being downloaded from a mirror, before Kaspersky interceded. I downloaded from the link presented when using the software.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Use a better Antivirus.

[PennP]

Use a better Antivirus.

Jean-Baptiste, "better" software is what's catching this problem.

You are the Site Administrator, and this appears to be the sum total of your ability to address the issue, which amounts to an "uninstall" directive to me. If I had any question, the email sent by your firm to alert me to the posting of my message has security issues. I accessed the thread again via a bookmark, to avoid more compromises.

Good luck to the other users.

[colobear]

Jean-Baptiste Kempf, "Use a better Antivirus" is really a crappy answer Sir. It really shows no interest in ensuring the safety of users. I've been reading on forums that pretty much every AV out there is flagging VLC as having a trojan...

And your only response is "use a better antivirus"?

My question is, why are you writing programs with the signatures of trojans? Maybe the Videolan project should use a better programmer then by extension of your logic?

How about actually addressing your users issues instead of giving snide answers to a very serious concern.

[reluctari]

I think you should take your head out of the sand or out of your ass and acknowledge that VLC has a serious problem. I too have experienced the trojan TDSS.ccpk <=(note the versioning dumb-ass) with this new release of VLC from yet another AV tool. There is either an exploit in VLC code or the developers have been compromised (either by obfuscation or collusion). Just because we are paranoid doesn't mean there aren't dicks in world.

[setcho]

N.B.

For those that are interested this has now been raised at Kaspersky forums see http://forum.kaspersky.com/index.php?showtopic=204106 it would make more sense to follow the info posted there.

Regards
Setcho

[Lotesdelere]

viewtopic.php?p=293984#p293984

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Use a better Antivirus.

Jean-Baptiste, "better" software is what's catching this problem.

And this is once again, a false positive, by broken Antivirus.

You are the Site Administrator, and this appears to be the sum total of your ability to address the issue, which amounts to an "uninstall" directive to me. If I had any question, the email sent by your firm to alert me to the posting of my message has security issues. I accessed the thread again via a bookmark, to avoid more compromises.

First, we are not a firm. We are volunteers.
Then, install Cacert certificate.

[PennP]

Thank you for your reply, Jean-Baptiste.

This is under discussion at Kaspersky, although not yet with any clear resolution.

Just so you know, I am accustomed to false positives by Kaspersky, but this was handled like malware, without providing options to accept it. It was quarantined and deleted automatically. I won't be using VideoLAN until Kaspersky issues something articulate on the topic indicating it's all clear.

Regarding certificates, I let sites sort that out. If they haven't gotten the certs together to pass security muster, I don't visit.

I did not know you were chairman of this organization until I read some background here and elsewhere. Big responsibility.

And I know it is a few days from now, but happy birthday.

- Penn

[colobear]

Jean-Baptiste,

Volunteer or not you do put out a 'product'. Whether it is free or $500, you do have an obligation to at least not be obtuse about the concerns of your 'customers', anyone using your software over an alternative.

I do happen to work in IT security for one of the larger AV and security firms out there. We get a lot of people (spammers in my department) upset that we flag their messages as spam. They claim it's a false positive. There are only three ways to get on that filter, 2 of which involve spamming, the last involves bacn. Either way, getting on that filter for someone sending email indicates they've done something naughty and need to change behavior.

If an AV is picking up VideoLAN as a trojan on a false positive, your statements shouldn't be 'it's your fault for using software that flags my program as a trojan, now go away', you really should instead be asking yourself "what part of the code triggered this false positive? Why is it happening? What can I do to prevent it?"

Because 1 false positive puts makes people concerned about using your program, about the reliability of it (you may advocate that it's being caught by junk AV, but in reality that would be a false statement). This thread makes people wonder about using VideoLAN, and very well may prevent people from using it who otherwise would. The people bugging you on this thread are those that 1) Like VLC, 2) Are concerned about it's false positive enough to engage you, and 3) are intelligent enough to seek help. How many others are getting the flag and going "Well, Mary said this was the best... she tried to virus me!"

Your responses here don't indicate to everyone that you have any real serious interest in your user base. Volunteer or not, your attitude is what is most concerning. Kaspersky Labs took care of it on their end, but there are other AV's flagging the software, including the one for the company I work for. This is not concerning to you in the least bit?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

If an AV is picking up VideoLAN as a trojan on a false positive, your statements shouldn't be 'it's your fault for using software that flags my program as a trojan, now go away', you really should instead be asking yourself "what part of the code triggered this false positive? Why is it happening? What can I do to prevent it?"

No way that we are going to make the code slower because AV engines are broken. I hope you are kidding.

Your responses here don't indicate to everyone that you have any real serious interest in your user base. Volunteer or not, your attitude is what is most concerning. Kaspersky Labs took care of it on their end, but there are other AV's flagging the software, including the one for the company I work for. This is not concerning to you in the least bit?

No, it doesn't. VLC is advanced software and uses advanced functions, and manually written assembly.

Some AV flag VLC wrongly at each release. Instead of fixing their code, they whitelabel every release.
And of course, some correct AV work fine, every time.

If those people, that are big companies and make a living of this are not able to do their work correctly, why should I work-around, for free, to cover their mistakes?

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

Regarding certificates, I let sites sort that out. If they haven't gotten the certs together to pass security muster, I don't visit.

Replace https in the mail URLs with http and it will work fine.
The bug has been told to phpBB people.

[colobear]

If an AV is picking up VideoLAN as a trojan on a false positive, your statements shouldn't be 'it's your fault for using software that flags my program as a trojan, now go away', you really should instead be asking yourself "what part of the code triggered this false positive? Why is it happening? What can I do to prevent it?"

No way that we are going to make the code slower because AV engines are broken. I hope you are kidding.

Your responses here don't indicate to everyone that you have any real serious interest in your user base. Volunteer or not, your attitude is what is most concerning. Kaspersky Labs took care of it on their end, but there are other AV's flagging the software, including the one for the company I work for. This is not concerning to you in the least bit?

No, it doesn't. VLC is advanced software and uses advanced functions, and manually written assembly.

Some AV flag VLC wrongly at each release. Instead of fixing their code, they whitelabel every release.
And of course, some correct AV work fine, every time.

If those people, that are big companies and make a living of this are not able to do their work correctly, why should I work-around, for free, to cover their mistakes?

Why should you work around, for free, to cover perceived mistakes? Because you've chosen to work for free to begin with. Because it is your code. You can stand there and complain all day about how it's the big bad AV companies and their broken software that are flagging your "advanced software", but at the end of the day there are two main constants: It is YOUR code and YOUR program. The fact you have zero interest in finding out WHY your software triggers AV software shows a real ineptitude toward software development. It's everyone else's problem BUT Jean-Baptiste Kempf, who writes the software. His software is perfect, it's like a Lamborghini. Only... hmm, it keeps being flagged by AV. Even if you determine that changing the software to remove the problem would cause significant issues, you should still be interested in identifying the problem, or at least take a less of a egotistical approach when your end users report an issue.

Ever thought of posting a note on the download page saying "VLC new releases frequently trigger false positives on some AV filters, if you experience this please note we do take security seriously and have ensured that our software is virus and malware free. You can help us out by reporting these false positives to your AV provider so that we are added to their whitelist sooner. Thanks!"?

Instead of alienating your end users when they report an issue, your only response is basically "I don't care, it's someone else's problem."

Sir, I'm about the same age as you and I can definitely tell you could use to take some courses in public speaking (say Toastmasters) or business writing. Or, find someone else to be your go-between on the forums if you simply cannot learn the people skills and tact needed to handle user issues appropriately. Unless you really don't have a problem coming across to your end users as abrasive, then by all means, continue as normal.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

The fact you have zero interest in finding out WHY your software triggers AV software shows a real ineptitude toward software development.

I don't have 0 interest, because I know why they flag it. It is because we use assembly.
You've got a bit of nerve saying that I have "a real ineptitude toward software development". What have you done that is so extraordinary to say things like that?

at least take a less of a egotistical approach when your end users report an issue.

I spend most of my free time and personnal time to do a software for free for users...
And you call me egotistical?

Who are you to say things like that?

You know, when one day VLC will die because noone will work on it anymore, if you wonder why, the answer is simple:
It is people like you that makes our work for everyone unbearable.

[ssjdc]

Not wanting to get involved in the war of words, my problem as an average user is that AVG is refusing to install v1.1.8, so I have to decide whether to believe AVG or trust Videolan that the file has not been tampered with. I think I will err on the side of caution, I am not comfortable with turning off my AV.

[ssjdc]

I contacted AVG regarding this false positive, and their latest update now passes v1.1.8 cleanly

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

I contacted AVG regarding this false positive, and their latest update now passes v1.1.8 cleanly

Thank you