by Keith Kunde, K8KK
There is a security function in Norton™ Internet Security 2010 called “SONAR”, an acronym for “Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response.” This function is erroneously flagging the TANKIT program as being a high security risk, which it is not. Furthermore, SONAR may automatically delete TANKIT from your system media as a default action.
TANKIT does not contain a virus or any other code which can harm your system. A freshly re-compiled copy from source statements is being flagged by SONAR in the same way as the copy on my website. I am working with Symantec / Norton to resolve this problem. In the meantime, if you are using Norton™ Internet Security 2010 and SONAR quarantines or deletes your copy of TANKIT, please do the following:
Overall, I think the 2010 version of Norton™ Internet Security is a great improvement over the 2009 version, but this overly aggressive “watchdog” called SONAR needs some re-training! I’ve only been using the 2010 version of Internet Security for a few weeks, and although an amazing number of viruses, tracking cookies, downloaders, etc. have been intercepted and deleted from my system, SONAR has never flagged anything except my own TANKIT program!
It seems to me that the internet in general is undergoing continuous “cyber attack” worldwide by multiple destructive agencies, ranging from petty hackers to major world governments who sponsor this crap for their own nefarious purposes, and everyone in between. You can’t have too much security if you access the internet—virtually every time you connect someone is trying to get into your system, and just because I’m paranoid it doesn’t mean they aren’t! (Thanks, Woody Allen.)
If you need to discuss this further with me, please send an e-mail to my call letters, k8 kk, at ar rl dot net (use the “normal” e-mail URL format of course, minus the spaces and with a period in place of dot).
Good luck and 73,
Keith, K8KK