4 ms·
Ask HN: How to start Antivirus business
from scratch?
I mean, software/tech aside, how does one get virus signatures?
Is there some repository, paid or free?
Your anecdotal experiences would be very interesting as well, in case anyone here runs some AV business.
- bediger4000 14y agoThe old Vx Heavens website had a lot of stuff in it: http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/7066921/ http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/7066921/ Also, avoid Sophos' grave mistakes: read Tavis Ormandy on Sophos code: http://lock.cmpxchg8b.com/sophail.pdf http://lock.cmpxchg8b.com/sophail.pdf https://lock.cmpxchg8b.com/sophailv2.pdf https://lock.cmpxchg8b.com/sophailv2.pdf
- jewel 14y agoclamav is GPL and has a virus database. I used it at a previous job to scan email and a samba file share. I couldn't find a download link but if you install freshclam it will download the signatures for you.
- stevekemp 14y agoThere are three distinct parts to this: * Getting access to samples - should be simple via your favourite torrent site. * Writing a decent engine. Tricky, but not impossible if you've got access to the low-level APIs and the technical skills. * Getting reviewed/taken seriously. The sad truth is few people will pay for a new antivirus tool, especially one with no proven provenance, support team, and real world accuracy. (i.e. You can block all known samples easily, but fail on new viruses/trojans.)
- zerr 14y agoYes, besides aqcuiring existing virus database, I'm as well interested how updating of this database happens. Discovering new viruses, malware, etc.. creating signatures from it.