1

I recently ran Norton Power Eraserand it came up with 3 risks on my PC. They are: - "Norton 360 error analyzer""Norton 360 error processor" and "sqmupload_s-1-5-21-413..."    I haven't a clue what these risks areand apparently Symantec doesn't have any info on them either.  I'm not sure what to do now?  Does this mean I have a virus on my PC?  I've run Eraser 3 times nowbut the risks are still there. I've sent a cloud scan to Symantecbut not sure if there's something else I should do?  Do I try deleting them myselfas I'm rather hesitant on trying that? 

I have a desktop computerwindows 8.1and use Norton 360 Internet Security. 

2

Many thanks! 

3

Thank you everybody for the quick responses.  I just wanted to share that it seems this issue came about only after the latest version of Norton Security was released last week.  It may well be that NPEat this pointis unable to recognize some of its own files.  I knew full well that NPE shouldn't be used a routine scan.  I guess that's what you get when you play with fire!

4

NPE is meant to be run when your Norton program does not detect anything malicious but you still suspect that something may be acting suspiciously on your PC. 

and if you suspect ? on your PC.   Chat with Official Norton Support.

5

ITMA.
​It's all in the wording. OccasionallyI run the NPE. I've seen the 3-risksas above.
RISKis it really the correct terminology ? INDICATIONwould be a better word.
STATUS = UNKNOWN. Not known to Norton ?
I read it asthere's an INDICATIONUNKNOWN to NORTON. Doesn't make it a PC Busting 'SNOT - BOMB'.
I make an archive note of the NPE INDICATIONSfor future reference. That's all !
If you're not experiencing any strange PC anomalies. Just carry on as usual.
"It's That Man Again."
The SinecoalCirph4.

6

Hi DanielsonM,

The simple answer is NPE uses a heuristic reputation scale. Something that is very neweven with a Symantec signaturecan be flagged as unknown. 

 

Hope that helps,

Jeff

7

...have you reported your observation thru  Chat with Official Norton Support.

You may also reference this Topic to support > https://community.norton.com/en/forums/norton-power-eraser-3-new-risks

 

8

Hi Rob and BJM.  I have also encountered a similar situation.

I normally run a full scan only.  However once in a whileI also run NPE for additional security.  Without exceptionevery NPE scan has come up clean.  That isuntil a couple of days ago.  StrangelyNPE identified 3 Norton files as UNKNOWN and hence as possible risks.  Their recommendation is basically do nothing (needs more information to determine if the files are unsafe).  WeirdNorton can't recognize its own files.  Whatif anything elseshould be done considering this may not be an isolated case?  Just a thoughtmaybe this situation has something to do with the latest version (22.16.0.247)?  Thanks.

C: Windows > System32 > Tasks > Norton Security > Norton Security Autofix

C: Windows > System32 > Tasks > Norton Security > Norton Security Error Analyzer

C: Windows > System32 > Tasks > Norton Security > Norton Security Error Processor

9
RobWood:

I don't know.  Every time I ran NPE beforemy PC always came out perfectly clean. Occasionally I used to get the odd riskbut after I ran NPE it was gone.  Nowthese 3 new risks are stuck on my PC. I wouldn't mindbut you hear so much about trojan viruses and things like that getting downloadedand it's made me a little paranoid. I just wish there was some info about them. 

 Chat with Official Norton Support.

10
RobWood:

I recently ran Norton Power Eraserand it came up with 3 risks on my PC. They are: - "Norton 360 error analyzer""Norton 360 error processor" and "sqmupload_s-1-5-21-413..."    I haven't a clue what these risks areand apparently Symantec doesn't have any info on them either.  I'm not sure what to do now?  Does this mean I have a virus on my PC?  I've run Eraser 3 times nowbut the risks are still there. I've sent a cloud scan to Symantecbut not sure if there's something else I should do?  Do I try deleting them myselfas I'm rather hesitant on trying that? 

Norton Power Eraser uses our most aggressive scanning technology to eliminate threats that traditional virus scanning doesn’t always detectso you can get your PC back. Because Norton Power Eraser is an aggressive virus removal toolit may mark a legitimate program for removal. 

Norton Power Eraser uses aggressive methods to detect threatsand there is a risk that it can select some legitimate programs for removal. You should carefully review the scan results page before removing files.
https://support.norton.com/sp/en/us/home/current/solutions/v69675421

11

I don't know.  Every time I ran NPE beforemy PC always came out perfectly clean. Occasionally I used to get the odd riskbut after I ran NPE it was gone.  Nowthese 3 new risks are stuck on my PC. I wouldn't mindbut you hear so much about trojan viruses and things like that getting downloadedand it's made me a little paranoid. I just wish there was some info about them. 

12

....and are you assured your PC is risk-free?

maybeyou can ask Chat with Official Norton Support to review your NPE scan log.....to assure you.  

Just me.  I would never trust NPE scan nor act based upon NPE scan (nor trust System Restore Point will be created nor trust restore point will "fix-whatever").   Just saying.  

NPE does not detect malware (that is what Norton Security is for)it presents you with a list of files that could be malware.  It is meant to be run when your Norton program does not detect anything malicious but you still suspect that something may be acting suspiciously on your PC.  If there doesn't appear to be anything wrongthe results returned by NPE will almost always be safe files that belong to applications on your system.  NPE doesn't tell you much about a file because it really doesn't know much about the files it presents - that's the whole pointif Norton knew whether the file was actually malicious or not you would not have to run NPEas Norton Security would catch it if it was malicious and NPE would not flag it if it was a known good file. 

https://community.norton.com/en/comment/786524

FWIW ~ Norton Community often suggests Malwarebytes Free for second opinion on-demand scanner.  YMMV
Regards w Respect

maybeyou can Copy to Clipboard your blue items (Norton Power Eraser - 3 new risks) (for example)


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c:\windows\system32\tasks\ccleaner update
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                                        Developers 
                                        Not Available
                                    

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                                        Identified 
                                        9/20/2018 at 12:29:51 PM
                                    

                                        Last Used 
                                        9/20/2018 at 12:29:51 PM
                                    

                                        Startup Item 
                                        No
                                    
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UNKNOWN
Number of users in the Norton Community that have used this file: Unknown
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UNKNOWN
This file release is currently not known.
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UNPROVEN
There is not enough information about this file to recommend it.


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                            Threat Details
                            File Location
                        
File: C:\WINDOWS\system32\tasks\CCleaner Update Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tasks\{F097D0D7-0B89-46E5-951C-3773604EC05A} Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Boot\{F097D0D7-0B89-46E5-951C-3773604EC05A} Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Schedule\TaskCache\Tree\CCleaner Update
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File Thumbprint - SHA:
4BEAAAEC2E4651E566F53A8374A2585A4CB32CF0FA909241A553E1A568F8E855
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13

I run it every so often just to ensure my PC is risk-free. 

14

may be related > https://community.norton.com/en/forums/npe-scan-results

NPE does not detect malware (that is what Norton Security is for)it presents you with a list of files that could be malware.  It is meant to be run when your Norton program does not detect anything malicious but you still suspect that something may be acting suspiciously on your PC.  If there doesn't appear to be anything wrongthe results returned by NPE will almost always be safe files that belong to applications on your system.  NPE doesn't tell you much about a file because it really doesn't know much about the files it presents - that's the whole pointif Norton knew whether the file was actually malicious or not you would not have to run NPEas Norton Security would catch it if it was malicious and NPE would not flag it if it was a known good file. 

https://community.norton.com/en/comment/7865241#comment-7865241 

https://community.norton.com/en/comment/7954241#comment-7954241

Norton Power Eraser uses our most aggressive scanning technology to eliminate threats that traditional virus scanning doesn’t always detectso you can get your PC back. Because Norton Power Eraser is an aggressive virus removal toolit may mark a legitimate program for removal. 

https://community.norton.com/en/comment/7944441#comment-7944441

Do I try deleting them myselfas I'm rather hesitant on trying that? 

No.

Q: why did you run NPE?