Security News > 2020 > May > Microsoft banishes Trend Micro code at center of driver 'cheatware' storm from Windows 10, rootkit detector product pulled from site

Microsoft has blocked a Trend Micro driver from running on Windows 10 - and Trend has withdrawn downloads of its rootkit detector that uses the driver - after the code appeared to game Redmond's QA tests.

We note that while the driver appears in other Trend Micro products, they may not necessarily be using the now-blocked driver, or may have received a suitable hot fix, and thus will continue working on Windows 10 20H1. Trend Micro has ignored our repeated requests for an explanation as to why its software altered its operation specifically while under test, though it insisted "At no time was the Trend Micro team avoiding certification requirements." A spokesperson for Trend was not available for immediate comment on the move to block the driver on Windows 10.

"As for the allegation that Trend Micro is somehow trying to work around Microsoft's certification process, we want to again make clear that this is indeed not the case and we are working closely with our partners at Microsoft to ensure that our code is in compliance with their rigorous standards."

"Trend Micro must be held accountable for their extremely questionable code. Trend Micro continues to deny my claims that they are cheating Microsoft's certification standards, but their lack of an explanation only reaffirms my position. The evidence has shown that Trend Micro designed their driver to specifically detect testing environments, including Microsoft's own testing platform for WHQL certification." .

Trend's PR people have stressed once again that "Trend Micro is not cheating any tests," although declined to explain why the driver code was detecting the presence of the Windows certification suite.

News URL

https://go.theregister.co.uk/feed/www.theregister.co.uk/2020/05/27/trend_micro_driver_banned_windows/