Virex on-access scanning unreliable

[hahn () math hu-berlin de]

Vulnerability:
The on-access scanner of McAfee Virex 7.7 for Mac is unreliable and fails the EICAR test. 

Using any webbrowser to download the EICAR testvirus from http://www.eicar.org/anti_virus_test_file.htm will not 
trigger the Virex on-access scanner and will not be noticed in most cases. If Virex does notice and report it, it will 
never prevent it from being saved to disk, even if the user tells Virex to delete the infected file.

Other scenarios where Virex on-access scanner fails might be possible.

Severity:
Moderate as long as Mac is not targeted by real viruses.
Fatal as soon as the first true virus epidemic for OS X appears.

McAfee notified 2006/02/17, denied responsability for the product and referred to Apple.
Apple notified 2006/02/17, denied responsability for the issue and referred to McAfee.
Published 2006/02/28 on Bugtraq.