Virus Scan Company That Accepts Submissions?

June 16, 2009 5:31 PM

Do any of the major virus-scan software sites permit sending in a questionable programs for possible addition to the ongoing alerts?

Ultimately, I'm wondering whether the Marie Brighton / Synovate computer survey is safe to take -- they're asking me to install and run this program that sends them details about my machine (system name, machine name, installed devices, various settings, etc). It sounds really hokey. I don't want to just share the program with the world, here, in case it has account-related information along with it already.

Pretty much all the details are here, and requests to see whether I can just check off a manual survey of "do you have this"-style questions merely state that I'd only get the incentive ($20) for running the program. I've saved-as the program, but haven't run it yet. I'm just fine with simply not running it, but there doesn't seem to be any coverage of the subject on the web much at all, and I'm sure someone else would like to know also.

As for the original question -- I'm curious as to whether there's a well-established scanner/etc site out there that accepts user submissions of questionable programs, instead of just checking it with a scan. I'd like vastly superior details on the program, not just a red or a green flag.

posted by Quarter Pincher to computers & internet (3 comments total)

virustotal.com is what you want. Some legit companies will give you free antivirus searching programs, but just play it safe and stick to name brands. I wouldn't run it.
posted by gensubuser at 5:40 PM on June 16

Synovate is a market-research company that describes itself as pushing the traditional boundaries of research. This is in itself enough to talk me out of installing their program.
posted by box at 5:53 PM on June 16

thanks, gensub. the report from VirusTotal confirms at least one trojan.
posted by Quarter Pincher at 6:04 PM on June 16