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Does this product contravene UK consumer protection legislation?

Oldwilliam
This seems to be a very useful software tool for patching/warning the home user about vulnerabilities and about malware such as trojans, but as it's labelled as an "anti-virus" product, and no-one has ever yet demonstrated the existence of a virus for a *nix-based operating system (or else they would have claimed the substantial prize offered for many years by Netproject for infecting a properly-configured Linux box with a virus!), does this product breach UK consumer protection legislation? It certainly claims, by implication, that *nix viruses exist, the truth of which Sophos would have to demonstrate publicly (e.g. to the Advertising Standards Authority) if a complaint was made.
:1000073


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    "But a "vulnerability" isn't a virus, which is what this thread is about, and the word "virus" is used in the name applied by Sophos to the product, which brings it right into target as far as legislation governing product descriptions is concerned - my basic point."

    In all honesty, you seem to be taking the subject out of context. First of all vast majority  of anti malware / virus applications have words "anti virus" linked to them regardless how many virus or malware applications the platform has or if application targets single or multiple platforms. From consumer perspective, its irrelevant if application is virus or malware since both can have similar effects on users computer. Lets face it, Viruses on computers are a myth created by nerds who haven't apparently yet encountered a living organism. It might come as surprise to you but  "a virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms". Therefore, you might want to start suing every single anti virus application manufacturer since there is no such thing as a computer virus only malware. To answer your original question "Does this product contravene UK consumer protection legislation?". No, it doesn't. 

    PS. This software is for Mac and not Linux.

    :1001029
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  • 0

    "But a "vulnerability" isn't a virus, which is what this thread is about, and the word "virus" is used in the name applied by Sophos to the product, which brings it right into target as far as legislation governing product descriptions is concerned - my basic point."

    In all honesty, you seem to be taking the subject out of context. First of all vast majority  of anti malware / virus applications have words "anti virus" linked to them regardless how many virus or malware applications the platform has or if application targets single or multiple platforms. From consumer perspective, its irrelevant if application is virus or malware since both can have similar effects on users computer. Lets face it, Viruses on computers are a myth created by nerds who haven't apparently yet encountered a living organism. It might come as surprise to you but  "a virus is a small infectious agent that can replicate only inside the living cells of organisms". Therefore, you might want to start suing every single anti virus application manufacturer since there is no such thing as a computer virus only malware. To answer your original question "Does this product contravene UK consumer protection legislation?". No, it doesn't. 

    PS. This software is for Mac and not Linux.

    :1001029
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