Anti-virus software information

Q. The app has 'disappeared'

A. It is likely that you have anti-virus software that has received a false positive test result when scanning your machine due to the encryption system employed.

Q. What is encryption in software, and why can it lead to false positives in antivirus detection?

A. Encryption in software involves the use of cryptographic algorithms to protect data or information from unauthorized access or disclosure. Encryption can sometimes cause false positives in antivirus detection because it can make the encrypted data appear suspicious or unknown to the antivirus program. The program may flag the encrypted data as malware or a threat, even if it is actually benign.

Q. What is the rationale behind antivirus software detecting and eliminating benign software as malware?

A. Antivirus software is designed to protect computer systems from malicious software or malware. As such, these programs typically use a range of techniques, including heuristics, signature-based scanning, and behavioural analysis, to detect and quarantine potential threats. However, in some instances, these methods can produce false positives, leading to the erroneous detection of benign software as malicious.

Q. What are some of the causes of these false positives?

A. There are several reasons why antivirus software might erroneously flag benign software as malicious. For instance, the software might use obfuscation techniques or packers to encrypt its code, making it more difficult for antivirus programs to analyse it. Additionally, the software might include code that resembles that of a known malware strain or exhibit behaviour that is similar to that of a virus or worm. Finally, the antivirus program itself might have a bug or a flaw that causes it to misinterpret benign code as malicious.

Q. What can I do if my antivirus program is falsely identifying benign software as malware?

A. If you believe that your antivirus program is flagging a benign software as malicious, you can take several steps to address the issue. First, you can submit the software to your antivirus vendor for analysis and request that they reclassify it as benign. You can also try excluding the software from your antivirus program's scanning list, although this may reduce your system's security. Finally, you can try updating your antivirus program to the latest version or using a different antivirus program altogether.

Q. How can I avoid false positives in the future?

A. You should also keep your antivirus program up to date and regularly scan your system for malware. Additionally, you can consider using a more sophisticated antivirus program that employs machine learning algorithms or other advanced techniques to improve its accuracy and reduce false positives.

Q. Will you fix this for me?

A. This is a local PC issue and we cannot help you with this.

Q: As a software developer, why are you unable to assist customers with local PC issues related to antivirus software?

A: While we strive to provide quality software that functions as intended, issues related to antivirus software are often outside of our control as developers. Anti-virus programs are third-party tools that operate independently of our software, and we cannot guarantee their compatibility with our software or take responsibility for their actions. Additionally, antivirus software is designed to operate at the system level, and any issues arising from it are complex and can vary greatly between different vendors and their products.

Q: Why should customers contact their antivirus vendor for support with local PC issues?

A: Antivirus vendors are experts in their field and have a deep understanding of their software and its operation. They are best suited to provide support and assistance to customers who experience issues with their antivirus software. Furthermore, antivirus vendors have access to the most up-to-date information and tools necessary to diagnose and resolve issues related to their software. In contrast, as a software developer, our expertise is in our specific software product and we may not have the necessary knowledge or resources to provide comprehensive support for third-party antivirus software.

Q: Can you provide any guidance to customers who experience issues related to antivirus software?

A: While we are unable to provide support for issues related to antivirus software, we can offer some general guidance. We recommend that customers keep their antivirus software up-to-date with the latest virus definitions and regularly perform scans of their computer. Customers should also ensure that their antivirus software is properly configured to minimize false positives and false negatives. If customers experience issues with their antivirus software, they should contact the vendor directly for support.

Q: What should customers do if they experience issues with your software and their antivirus software?

A: If customers experience issues with our software and their antivirus software, they should first ensure that both programs are up-to-date and properly configured. If the issue persists, they should contact their antivirus vendor for further support.