A BIG oops this weekend from Microsoft!  Their Antispyware definitions version 5805 detects Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition as “PWS.Bancos.A” spyware!!  If you choose to remove it, it can hose your entire installation of SAV.  The problem is corrected in the 5807 version of the definitions.

I understand that this is “Beta” software, but this just smells fishy.  Disgruntled employee perhaps.  It’s far too obvious to be an intentional corporate tactic.  Besides, call me gullible, but I genuinely trust Microsoft.

If you chose to remove Microsoft Antispyware’s “detection”, your SAV installation was likely corrupted and needs to be reinstalled.  To verify it is working, first reboot your machine.  Then, click “Start”, “Programs”, “Symantec Client Security”, “Symantec Antivirus”.  On that first screen, make sure your virus definitions are up-to-date.  Now, on the left, under “View”, select “Auto-Protect Scan Statistics”.  If you leave that open and start some other programs, you should see the files in there change.  Follow these steps again in a few days to make sure that (a) it’s still working and (b) you’re receiving updated definitions.

I suspect we will hear more about this in the news.  I can’t imagine that Symantec will be happy.

UPDATE (2/14/2006):
It’s in the news today!  You heard it here first (maybe)!  :-)
CNET News.com