OK. I get it. Everyone wants to have the fastest possible computer. But, when Microsoft published a list of what files you shouldn’t bother to check for viruses, since looking in on them can really slow a PC down, they also gave a blueprint to virus-writers on where they should focus their attacks.
Trend Micro malware researcher David Sancho is the one who spotted this gaff by Microsoft. In a Trend Micro blog, Sancho wrote: “Cyber-criminals may strategically drop or download a malicious file into one of the folders that are recommended to be excluded from scanning, or use a file extension that is also in the excluded list.” You think!?
Essentially, what Microsoft has done is told virus-writers they can safely hide their programs. What self-respecting virus writer will be able to resist?