SCI: Tech Fears Arise Over Norton and Pifts.exe

I registered just to put my 2 cents in. I use NAV and was greeted this morning with the prompt about letting pifts.exe access the Internet. Like everyone else I Googled it and found my way to ATS.

I followed the path given to pifts.exe and sure enough, there it was. I tried to rename the file and was denied. Then right before my eyes the folder disappeared from the tree. It just vanished?

Originally posted by ThreePutt
I followed the path given to pifts.exe and sure enough, there it was. I tried to rename the file and was denied. Then right before my eyes the folder disappeared from the tree. It just vanished?

Could you tell me please where you followed the path to?

It might be a LOT of help to me trying to understand this.

And thanks for registering and letting us know that you have experienced it.

-m0r

reply to post by Gemwolf


I agree, it's not a clever tactic. I think the moderator on duty made a mistake and underestimated the concequences of removing the posts.

Now if this really is a scam to steal your data then it's still not a very clever tactic. The fact that the moderators of the Norton board aren't responding very clever does not prove one or the other.

Originally posted by FreezeM
...The fact that the moderators of the Norton board aren't responding very clever does not prove one or the other...

I'm thinking they're currently autodetecting and removing posts with "PIFTS" in them at the moment.

This one calling Norton a pile of crap has been up for a while whilst others have been removed - notice it doesn't say pifts in it.

-m0r

reply to post by m0r1arty


I do know that BT has finished the trials of this in December 2008.

It is currently not in being used according to their website.

www2.bt.com...

reply to post by FreezeM


I agree 100%. It's some very strange events... The matter of the fact is, until Symantec says something, we don't have much to go on. It can be a great hoax/prank. It may be small glitch. It may be bigger than any of us can imagine...

They have the opportunity to give their side of the story... But when?

This story has hit Digg and Reditt:


Digg story


Reddit story

Originally posted by m0r1arty


Could you tell me please where you followed the path to?

It might be a LOT of help to me trying to understand this.

And thanks for registering and letting us know that you have experienced it.

-m0r

Here's the path and a screen shot. Note the top two.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\LiveUpdate\Downloads

reply to post by ThreePutt


Well done, just the sort of post I was waiting to see.

Now it appears it is not just rumor.

Starred.

Wow I tried to make an account on the norton support forums and just check this out it speaks for itself!!!!











[edit on 10-3-2009 by warpboost]

This is brilliant!

My favourite post so far -



And my favourite username -



Genius.

it.slashdot.org.../03/10/139229

www.abovetopsecret.com...

blog.bull3t.me.uk...

answers.yahoo.com...

The posts on Nortons forum continue now theres loads of links

Is it possible that Symantec has been hacked? And that the PIFTS.EXE file has been maliciously distributed?

How emarrising would that be for Symantec?

Enough to deny/hide it?


Anyways I would stay clear of Norton. AVG isn't all to good either.

My suggestion would be, look into getting ESET NOD-32.

[edit on 10/3/09 by SkyNet]

Originally posted by Pompkinini
This story has hit Digg and Reditt:


Digg story

The ATS thread is also on Digg, HERE...

Also I just noticed there's only 18 results on google for PIFTS.EXE ??

Originally posted by SkyNet
Is it possible that Symantec has been hacked? And that the PIFTS.EXE file has been maliciously distributed?

How emarrising would that be for Symantec?

Its possible, it wouldn't the first time they have done something unbelievably stupid. For Example

Originally posted by ThreePutt

Here's the path and a screen shot. Note the top two.

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Symantec\LiveUpdate\Downloads

Thanks ThreePutt!!

It does appear that whatever the update was at 12:17 initialized the earlier PIFTS.zip, and it's possible that the zip initialised the executable that your firewall detected.

I'm interested to see if it corresponds with the earlier Mediafire upload.

I'd also like other people to post if it occurred to them for further corroboration - particularly long time members with little knowledge of posting in computing, more data is better than less in this case.

-m0r

Lol Norton help just froze up

reply to post by s4dreamlnd93



Yep the site is down.....too much traffic or intentionally pulled?

More intrigue.

Just made some mainstream media:

The Inquirer

The Washington Post

Here's hoping there's an answer soon - and a good one!

-m0r