Norton Internet Security / Norton AntiVirus

[sternlih]

When I booted my PC this morning,  a dialogue box popped up announcing a firmware update for my Samsung CLP-315W printer. According to Samsung, there is no such update. I then ran an NIS Full System Scan, but no malware, except for some cookies was found. Could this alleged firmware update be some sort of malware?

[donziehm]

Interesting. I did find this web site that is offering a firmware upgrade for your printer for $40 EU http://www.printerreset.net/en/firmware-upgrade.

Site appears bogus. No manufacturer charges for a standard firmware upgrade. And no one would charge $40 EU! However, Norton Safe web site shows the site as OK?

One possibility is you are getting phished from this web site and you do have some type of malware triggering this.

Did this message appear as a Windows Update display? Although I have never seen firmware updates distributed though Windows Update.

In any case, do not do any type of firmware upgrade unless you know what you are doing. Next only download it directly from the manufacturers web site to be completely safe.

[sternlih]

I set the date on my PC ahead by 4 days and re-booted. The same dialogue box appeared. Task Master did show it as "Samsung Printer LiveUpdate"

I searched for a liveupdate file on my PC and I did find a folder that did contain the exe file that was being launched at bootup. The files appear to be legit and it is an updater, but I don't need it and I isolated it. I do think it's some sftwe that got installed when I installed my new printer.

Any more suggestions would be appreciated.

[donziehm]

Here is the manufacturer web link for their printer http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/CLP-315W/XAA.

Check and see if the printer driver is a stand alone program. If it is, check and see if it has an option to turn off auto updating.

You can also use MSCONFIG -> Startup tab to see if there is an entry for the Samsung printer driver update program. If one exists, you can uncheck it and it will stop running automatically at boot time.

In most cases, these auto driver updates are imbedded in the driver and require a Windows Registry modification to stop the auto updating.

Contact Samsung as the best way to proceed.