360 Safeguard Explained

360 Safeguard
Other Names:360安全卫士
Logo Size:199px
Developer:Qihoo 360
Latest Release Version:11.0.0.1046
Operating System:Windows XP or later
Language:Simplified Chinese
Genre:Antivirus
License:Freeware
360 Total Security
Logo Size:250px
Developer:Qihoo 360
Latest Release Version:11.0.0.1048 (Windows)
Latest Release Date:[1]
Operating System:Windows XP or later
macOS 10.7 or later
Language Count:15
Language:Arabic, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), English, German, Hindi, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, Vietnamese, French, Italian, Polish
Genre:Antivirus
License:Freemium

360 Safeguard and its international version, 360 Total Security, is an antivirus software developed by Beijing, China-based internet security company Qihoo 360. 360 Safeguard's focus is on stopping malware such as computer viruses and trojan horses and providing security patches for Microsoft Windows.

360 Safeguard uses the proprietary 360 Cloud Scan, QVMII AI, QEX and Kunpeng engines,[2] while 360 Total Security offers the option of using Avira and Bitdefender engines in addition to the proprietary scanning tools.[3]

Dispute with Tencent

See main article: 360 v. Tencent. In 2010, 360 Safeguard analyzed the QQ protocol and accused QQ of automatically scanning users' computers and uploading their personal information to QQ's servers without users' consent. In response, Tencent called 360 itself malware and denied users with 360 installed access to some QQ services.[4] The Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information reprimanded both companies for "improper competition" and ordered them to come to an accord.[5]

Dispute with testing bodies

On 30 April 2015, the three independent security testing bodies AV-Comparatives, AV-TEST and Virus Bulletin published a joint press release criticizing Qihoo 360 after they found that Qihoo 360 had submitted products for comparative which behaved significantly different from end user products. The products for comparative used an engine by Bitdefender, while the end user products use Qihoo 360's own QVM engine instead. The testing bodies claimed that the end user products would provide a considerably lower level of protection and a higher likelihood of false positives. As a consequence, the three testing bodies revoked all certifications and rankings from earlier that year.[6]

Qihoo 360 denied cheating allegations claiming that the QVM engine developed by Qihoo 360 would be more effective in China.[7]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Version History for 360 Total Security. 360 Total Security. 2021-12-09.
  2. Web site: 更好的木马查杀工具解决电脑和手机病毒问题-360木马查杀 . 2022-04-30 . weishi.360.cn.
  3. Web site: 2020-04-04 . Back to China . 2022-04-30 . Homo Ludditus . en-US.
  4. Web site: The Chinese have gotten into the Antivirus business. .
  5. News: Beijing probes Tencent and Qihoo 360. Kathrin. Hille. Beijing. 21 November 2010. 9 January 2011. Financial Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20110906011600/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/e0e12040-f5ab-11df-99d6-00144feab49a.html. 6 September 2011. live.
  6. Web site: Testing bodies AV-Comparatives, AV-TEST and Virus Bulletin. 2016-05-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20160530134151/https://www.av-test.org/fileadmin/pdf/VB-AVC-AVT-press-release.pdf. 2016-05-30. 2018-03-19.
  7. Web site: 2015-05-01 . Revealed: The anti-virus vendor cheating in independent tests . 2023-01-30 . Graham Cluley . en-GB.