False-positive initiative by VirusTotal

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Dude
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False-positive initiative by VirusTotal

Post by Dude »

Hi dudes! :)

As we know from discussion in other threads, the issue of false positives from anti-virus (AV) companies is a big problem for the software industry. Many end-users will use https://www.virustotal.com to test our apps, but the false positives will scare them away. Not good. :(

However, you may not be aware that VirusTotal has a "trusted source" initiative, whereby even if false positives occur, VirusTotal will list your app as being from a trusted source, so the end-user knows the product is actually safe. You can read about this new feature in their blog: http://blog.virustotal.com/2015/02/a-fi ... tives.html

Now, their blog says that the trusted source initiative is only open to "very large companies", which I am not. LOL! I'm basically a one-man band (unless you count my eldest son who does some coding with me as my student, so he's technically a secondary coder). Anyway, I figured I had nothing to lose by emailing VirusTotal and asking them how my company could be included as a trusted source, so that people scanning my apps would see it as safe.

To my shock, they replied as per the screenshot below, which was encouraging! :D So I just wanted to make this new post about my experience, to help anyone else out who didn't know about it. (I didn't want this post to be lost in the middle of one of the other large AV threads). Seems that "very large companies" may not be the sole criteria after all. Great stuff, VirusTotal! 8)

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percy_b
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Re: False-positive initiative by VirusTotal

Post by percy_b »

Dude,

This looks very promising. I hope VirusTotal follows through with this initiative since it would be a favorable move in reducing false positives.
Marc56us
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Re: False-positive initiative by VirusTotal

Post by Marc56us »

Yes, good "new", but look date of article in blog: Tuesday, 10 February 2015
http://blog.virustotal.com/2015/02/a-fi ... tives.html

And they reply to you today (2017)
We're not quite ready yet...

:|
Dude
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Re: False-positive initiative by VirusTotal

Post by Dude »

They've offered this service since 2015, so it's established, and I've seen companies green-lighted by it when downloading apps. So, it works.

I don't understand your "they reply to you today" comment? I only emailed them last night about it, and they replied the same day. What's wrong with that?
Marc56us
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Re: False-positive initiative by VirusTotal

Post by Marc56us »

I'm sorry,
What I said is that it's been two and a half years since they put this system in place and that they are still in alpha

For the good new, yes, you'r right, but don't expect anything magical, they are like the others, read at the bottom of the page:
https://www.virustotal.com/#/monitor-overview
"Pay just for what you need. Monitor pricing is based on the size of your collection, expand your usage only if your business also grows."

As long as you have to pay, you might as well buy a certificate. You don't have to pay according to volume and usage.

I'm afraid that in the future, every antivirus manufacturer will charge the developer for not to blacklist it.
This is already what begins in a certain way with 'store' (pay or add our [ads])
Sad future for independent freeware developer (Windows and Android)
:?
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