AVG antivirus update attacks Apple's iTunes

A database update from AVG over the weekend made the Windows antivirus software attack users' iTunes installations, mistakenly viewing the application's library files as a Trojan virus and placing them in quarantine.

After the update was released, numerous users began voicing their complaints on Apple's support forums and AVG's official forums. AVG responded by releasing a new database update that fixes the problem.

"Unfortunately, a recent virus database update resulted in iTunes being detected as a Trojan by AVG security products," the company wrote. "We can confirm that it was a false alarm. AVG immediately released a new virus database update (definition file 270.13.29/2260) that corrected this issue."

With the update, AVG would recognize iTunes DLL files in Windows as infected with the "Small.BOG" Trojan virus. After the files were quarantined, iTunes would not run.

One user on the AVG forums said they tried to reinstall iTunes, but AVG recognized all of the application's localization DLL files as threats. Others said their antivirus software saw an iTunes update as a virus.

AVG recommends that users having problems update their AVG software and check iTunes.

For those whose iTunes remains broken, AVG recommends the following steps:

• Open the AVG user interface.
• Choose "Virus Vault" option from the "History" menu.
• Locate the iTunes file that was incorrectly removed and select it (one click).
• Click on the "Restore" button.

AVG offers a free antivirus suite that the company says serves more than 80 million Windows users. The company also sells a premium application. The software runs on Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.