ITinfo: Norton AntiVirus Bug Locks Email

Norton AntiVirus Seriously Buggy

Poproxy error frustrates users

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Norton AntiVirus Bug Locks Email

by Dave Murphy
ISSN 1535-3613

Symantec Norton AntiVirus software may have problems getting their email. A feature that prevents virus-infected messages from landing in users' inboxes can actually prevent all mail from entering.

Norton AntiVirus versions 7.0 and above contain a program called Poproxy. This program intercepts incoming email before the message is received by the user's email client.

When Poproxy fails to run properly, perhaps because of a conflict with another system process, users get an error message, saying, "The connection to the server has failed." When AntiVirus is installed the e-mail client preferences are changed to connect to Poproxy instead of the service offered by the ISP.

Symantec acknowledges the problem, but doesn't regard it as a flaw in its product. I disagree. Software that doesn't work well in many instances is flawed.

Users should seek to remedy the Poproxy error rather than disabling the program. However, I suggest to users who can't seem to get Poproxy to work that they should uninstall Norton AntiVirus and pick up a copy of McAfee VirusScan. I have a lot less trouble with VirusScan than I do with Norton AntiVirus.

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updated March 9, 2001
http://dgl.com/itinfo/2001/it010309a.html