Panda is Baaaack

And it’s an ugly one. For a second when I saw the Infoworld article, I thought it was Panda Software again.

I had a little clash wit Panda, makers of anti-spam software over – would you guess? – spamming me unstoppably.  It was so bad that even after a PR manager from Panda contacted me and personally intervened the spam would not stop.

Eventually I find a solution: set up an autofilter to forward the Panda-spam to the manager in question (poor victim) and delete my own copy.  

Learning from this I came up with a creative way to fight at least some of the spam we all receive.  It only works with otherwise legitim products where you can identify not the spammer, but the company whose product or service is being pushed.  Find the email address of a company executive; send a polite email telling them from now on you will forward all their spam until they can stop it; then set up an autofilter to do just that: forward all spam to the individual’s email address, deleting the original from yours.

(Please note, I’ve only said it’s a creative way, as a theoretical approach,  I have no clue about legal ramifications, therefore am not recommending you follow this method)

This time around Panda is a different beast though: it’s a worm, the creator of which is now arrested in China. To make amends, he agreed to release the removal software.  Only problem is: it does not work.  I guess it easier to cause damage then fix it.

The “authority” that determined the worm-removal software is useless was none other but Anti-virus maker … Symantec.  Now, wouldn’t it be a nice way to make amends for “old crimes” if Panda Software came up with the way to kill the Panda Burning Incense worm?

Update (4/19): Now, a third kind of Panda is here, too. But this one is better 🙂