[Infowarrior] - Vista SP1 kills and maims security apps, utilities

[Richard Forno]

Original URL: 
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/22/vista_sp1_security_products/
Vista SP1 kills and maims security apps, utilities
By Kelly Fiveash
Published Friday 22nd February 2008 14:51 GMT

Microsoft has admitted that Windows Vista service pack one (SP1) renders
useless a number of well-known third party security products.

Redmond said in a knowledge base article
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935796) yesterday that due to "reliability"
issues with Vista SP1, it has been forced to prevent some security products
from running after the service pack is installed.

So, customers who currently have versions of Jiangmin KV Antivirus or Trend
Micro's Internet Security on their Vista computers will no longer be able to
use the software, which are suppose to safeguard their machines against
hackers and malware, after SP1 is installed.

The two other security products deemed by Microsoft to make Vista SP1
"unreliable" are versions of BitDefender AV and Zone Alarm Security Suite.

It added that it has put a block on Fujitsu's Shock Sensor utility, which
protects laptop hard-drives against sudden shocks.

Microsoft also pinpointed a number of products that simply won't work after
the service pack, which is expected to be available for download to everyone
by the middle of next month, has been installed.

Versions of Iron Speed Designer, Xheo Licensing, and Free Allegiance
software are on that particular blacklist.

Meanwhile, Novell's ZCM Agent and the New York Times reader software are
among the products listed as having severely reduced functionality post
Vista-SP1.

Microsoft said in the article: "A program may experience a loss of
functionality after you install Windows Vista SP1. However, most programs
will continue to work as expected after you install Windows Vista SP1."

This latest embarrassing cock-up comes just days after Microsoft snatched
back 
(http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/20/vista_sp1_prerequisite_update/) a
key pre-requisite update for Vista SP1 from its Windows Update website.

It was forced to suspend distribution of its servicing stack KB937287 update
after customers complained that their PCs wouldn't boot up properly once it
had been applied. ®