[R] downloading packages and AntiVirus program

[Uwe Ligges]

RINNER Heinrich wrote:

> Dear R-users!
> 
> I am using R 1.7.0, under Windows XP;
> I also have Internet Explorer 6.0.2600.0000, Norton AntiVirus 7.60.926.
> 
> Our firewall seems to want to "protect" me from downloading precompiled
> packages for Windows.
> When I try to download packages, like
> http://cran.at.r-project.org/bin/windows/contrib/1.7/RODBC_1.0-3.zip
> for example, I am not allowed to and get a message like this:
> 
> "The content you just requested had a problem and was blocked by the
> Symantec AntiVirus Scan Engine based on local administrator settings."
> 
> I called our network hotline, but they insisted that these files contain
> viruses and wouldn't let me download them. As I'm sure that not all packages
> on CRAN will contain viruses (!), I am asking here for support, maybe in the
> form of arguments like "These files definitely contain no viruses, but they
> may give false virus warnings because ...".
> Has anyone else experienced this problem?
> 
> Regards,
> Heinrich.

As an alternative you can compile from sources (and hope no viruses' 
source code is in there).

Hopefully there are no viruses in those binary packages on CRAN. The 
virus scanner on the machine that compiles the packages is up to date, 
but having the most recent virus scanner doesn't imply to be free of 
viruses. Virus free packages cannot be guaranteed.

Uwe Ligges