[R] R 2.12.0 - malware detect by antivirus software

[Duncan Murdoch]

Paulo Barata wrote:
> Dr. Murdoch and Dr. Ligges,
>
> After my contacts with Avira, it seems that the issue caused by
> their antivirus software (a false positive alarm) has been solved.
> Now I have been able to install R 2.12.0 flawlessly.
>   

Thanks for following up on this.

Duncan Murdoch
> Thank you.
>
> Paulo Barata
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> On 17/10/2010 17:53, Duncan Murdoch wrote:
>   
>> Paulo Barata wrote:
>>     
>>> Dear Dr. Murdoch,
>>>
>>> My thanks to you and to Dr. Ligges for your replies.
>>>
>>> I will do my part and will inform Avira about what happened.
>>> If possible, I will send then the R 2.12.0 installation
>>> file for their examination. As Dr. Ligges said, it is quite
>>> possible indeed that a false positive alarm has happened.
>>>
>>> But please allow me to point out that Avira, as far as I know,
>>> is considered to be one of the best pieces of antivirus software
>>> in the market. See, for instance, the AV Comparatives web site at
>>> www.av-comparatives.org. No antivirus software is 100% perfect,
>>> that is, in the real world there is no software with a 0% false
>>> positive rate. Or, looking from the other side, every antivirus
>>> software is "sloppy" in some way. Considering that fact,
>>> shouldn't the R core team have some definite policy with regard
>>> to false positive alarms concerning the R installation file?
>>> Is this the first time that this happened? Will this be the last
>>> time?
>>>       
>> This is by no means the first time, and I doubt it will be the last
>> time.
>> I think our policy is listed in the banner that prints when you
>> start R:
>>
>> "R is free software and comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY."
>>
>> If you want a stronger warranty, you could try looking at commercial
>> software (or commercial builds of R), but I doubt you'll get one
>> that's worth very much.
>>
>> Duncan Murdoch
>>
>>     
>>> Best regards,
>>>
>>> Paulo Barata
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> On 17/10/2010 17:10, Duncan Murdoch wrote:
>>>       
>>>> Uwe Ligges wrote:
>>>>         
>>>>> I checked with two online services which ran more than 40
>>>>> different virus scanners on the file and only Avira gave a
>>>>> warning. Hence I assume it is a false positive with Avira and you
>>>>> can go on with the installation.
>>>>>
>>>>> @ Duncan as the maintainer for the binary setup installer: It
>>>>> might make sense to report the false positive to Avira in order to
>>>>> protect ourselves from dozens of messages on this list tomorrow.
>>>>> Additionally, you may want to add a note on the CRAN download page.
>>>>>
>>>>>           
>>>> I don't think so. False positives from sloppy virus checkers are too
>>>> common. Paulo may want to help out Avira by pointing out their
>>>> error, but I won't.
>>>>
>>>> Duncan Murdoch
>>>>
>>>>         
>>>>> Best wishes,
>>>>> Uwe Ligges
>>>>>
>>>>> On 17.10.2010 20:18, Paulo Barata wrote:
>>>>>           
>>>>>> Dear R-list members,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have just downloaded R 2.12.0 for Windows. When installing,
>>>>>> my antivirus software detected some malware during the
>>>>>> installation process.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I use Windows XP SP3. My antivirus software is Avira Premium
>>>>>> Security Suite, product version 10.0.0.542 (19/4/2010),
>>>>>> search engine 8.02.04.82 (14/10/2010), virus definition file
>>>>>> 7.10.12.231 (17/10/2010). That software said: "Malware found".
>>>>>> When I clicked in "details", I found this information: object:
>>>>>> open.exe; Detection: TR/ATRAPS.Gen. Consulting the Avira web
>>>>>> site, this is indicated as a Trojan, dated 15 May 2008.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have repeated the installation process twice, always with
>>>>>> the same malware detection. When installing, I used the English
>>>>>> language, I ticked the "Technical Manuals", "PDF help pages"
>>>>>> and "docs for Packages grid and Matrix", and I used the
>>>>>> default options.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Should I proceed with the installation of that version of R?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thank you very much.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Paulo Barata
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>>> Paulo Barata
>>>>>> Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz - Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
>>>>>> Rua Leopoldo Bulhoes 1480 - 8A
>>>>>> 21041-210 Rio de Janeiro - RJ
>>>>>> Brazil
>>>>>>
>>>>>> E-mail: pbarata at infolink.com.br
>>>>>> Alternative e-mail: paulo.barata at ensp.fiocruz.br
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ______________________________________________
>>>>>> R-help at r-project.org mailing list
>>>>>> https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-help
>>>>>> PLEASE do read the posting guide
>>>>>> http://www.R-project.org/posting-guide.html
>>>>>> and provide commented, minimal, self-contained, reproducible code.
>>>>>>             
>>
>>