Re: [Python-Dev] [Webmaster] Unsafe listing by Norton's "File Insight"

[Peter via Python-Dev]

(Response at bottom)


On 6/07/2016 2:39 AM, Steve Dower wrote:

On 04Jul2016 2241, Steve Holden wrote:

Hi Peter,

While the humble webmasters can do little about this it's possible the
developers can, so I am forwarding your email to their mailing list.

regards
 Steve

Steve Holden

On Tue, Jul 5, 2016 at 3:30 AM, Peter via Webmaster
mailto:webmas...@python.org>> wrote:

Hi
I'm a heavy user of Python on Windows, am a Basic PSF member and
have contributed to core Python.
The Python 2.7.12 Windows installer download is being marked as
untrusted by Norton Internet Security. I've been on chat with
Symantec, and they've said that I can't do anything about that
rating, but that the site owner can.
I've been pointed to:
https://safeweb.norton.com/help/site_owners
Interestingly, the 3.5.2 download is flagged as safe.
Hoping to get more Python out to users!
Thanks
Peter


Peter, can you provide the exact URL that safeweb is complaining 
about? I tried a few at https://safeweb.norton.com/ and they all 
showed up as clean.


Also please clarify whether this is what you mean. It's not entirely 
clear whether the download is being scanned or the reputation of the 
URL is in question.


Cheers,
Steve

Hi Steve
It's not the URL it is complaining of, rather
On Windows, Norton Internet Security virus checks all downloads. One of 
the names they give to the result of their scanning is 'File Insight'. 
From what I can tell, it uses a few checks:

- virus scanning using known signatures
- observable malicious behaviour
- how well known or used it is across other users of Nortons.
It seems that the last of these is a causing the warning.
Obviously this is not a problem for me, but may be concerning for less 
tech savvy Windows users that get the warning.
There isn't a way within Nortons to 'report for clearance' of the file. 
And my chat with a (entry level) Norton representative got nowhere.
I'll email screen captures in the next email. Let me know if they don't 
come through and I'll paste them somewhere.

Let me know if I can give any more information.
Peter

___
Python-Dev mailing list
Python-Dev@python.org
https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev
Unsubscribe: 
https://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-dev/archive%40mail-archive.com

Re: [Python-Dev] [Webmaster] Unsafe listing by Norton's "File Insight"

[Peter via Python-Dev]

On 6/07/2016 9:51 AM, Steve Dower wrote:

On 05Jul2016 1615, Peter wrote:

It's not the URL it is complaining of, rather
On Windows, Norton Internet Security virus checks all downloads. One of
the names they give to the result of their scanning is 'File Insight'.
From what I can tell, it uses a few checks:
- virus scanning using known signatures
- observable malicious behaviour
- how well known or used it is across other users of Nortons.
It seems that the last of these is a causing the warning.
Obviously this is not a problem for me, but may be concerning for less
tech savvy Windows users that get the warning.
There isn't a way within Nortons to 'report for clearance' of the file.
And my chat with a (entry level) Norton representative got nowhere.
I'll email screen captures in the next email. Let me know if they don't
come through and I'll paste them somewhere.
Let me know if I can give any more information.


I don't think there's anything we can do about this, other than 
convince more users of Norton Internet Security to use Python 2.7 
(apparently Python 3.5 is more popular with that demographic :) )


The installer is signed with the PSF's certificate, which keeps 
Windows Smartscreen happy and is the only way we can indicate that 
it's trustworthy. If Norton requires different criteria then that is 
on them and not something we can fix.


Cheers,
Steve


I suspect you're right.
It's a flawed model that they're using, and they are quite impervious to 
suggestions.

Glad 3.5 is winning :-)
Keep up the good work.
Peter

___
Python-Dev mailing list
Python-Dev@python.org
https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-dev
Unsubscribe: 
https://mail.python.org/mailman/options/python-dev/archive%40mail-archive.com