Microsoft blocks, uninstalls Google Chrome

Microsoft has been hit by 'false positive' hell, as it flags Google's Chrome browser as malware.

According to media reports, complaints began circulating on Friday morning about Chrome being blocked or even uninstalled.

The Register reported that the Chrome executable file for Windows was flagged as a component of the Zeus Trojan, with one reader telling it that while bookmarks and plug-ins were removed, Chrome's beta version was unaffected.

According to h-online, the incident was the result of "a bad patch for Microsoft Security Essentials, Microsoft Forefront and Microsoft Defender".

Microsoft later said "an incorrect detection" for 'PWS:Win32/Zbot' was affecting Google Chrome and it issued a patch to address the issue.

Microsoft released a statement via the Facebook page for its Malware Protection Center, acknowledging the error. It said: “On 30 September, an incorrect detection for PWS:Win32/Zbot was identified and, as a result, Google Chrome was inadvertently blocked and in some cases removed from customers' PCs.

“We have already fixed the issue – we released an updated signature (1.113.672.0) at 9.57am PDT – but approximately 3,000 customers were impacted. Affected customers should manually update Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) with the latest signatures.

“To do this, simply launch MSE, go to the update tab and click the Update button, and then reinstall Google Chrome. We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused our customers.”

A blog by Google said on Friday that it was releasing an update that will automatically repair Chrome for affected users.

This article originally appeared at scmagazineuk.com