Symantec warns customers to disable PCAnywhere

Symantec is urging customers to disable PCAnywhere until it issues a software update to protect them against attacks that cound result from the theft of the product's source code.

Someone broke into Symantec's network in 2006 and stole source code for PCAnywhere, which allows customers to remotely connect to other computers, as well as for Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition, Norton Internet Security and Norton SystemWorks, the company said last week. Earlier this month, hackers in India affiliated with the Anonymous online activist group said they had taken the code from servers run by Indian military intelligence.

Hackers have threatened to use the pilfered code to attack companies using it and then release the code publicly. The affected products have been updated since 2007 so there is no risk to customers, except for PCAnywhere, Symantec said. Separately, Symantec released a hotfix for several critical vulnerabilities in PCAnywhere on Tuesday, but said it did not know of any publicly available exploits.

"At this time, Symantec recommends disabling the product until Symantec releases a final set of software updates that resolve currently known vulnerability risks," the company said in a white paper (PDF). Customers who rely on it for business critical purposes should install version 12.5 and apply relevant patches, it added.

For more on this ZDNet UK-selected story, see Symantec tells customers to disable PCAnywhere on CNET News.