Packed.Generic.238 is a heuristic detection for the
Backdoor.Tidserv family of threats.
A packer is a tool that compresses, encrypts or obfuscates executable files. Malware authors often use packers to conceal threats from detection by antivirus software. Packed.Generic.238 detects a packer that is not known to be used for legitimate purposes.
Files that are detected as Packed.Generic.238 are considered malicious. We suggest that any files you believe are incorrectly detected as Packed.Generic.238 be submitted to Symantec Security Response. For instructions on how to do this using Scan and Deliver, read
Submit Virus Samples.
If one or more files on your computer have been classified as having a Packed.Generic.238 threat, this indicates that the files have suspicious characteristics and therefore might contain a new or unknown threat. However, given the sensitive nature of this detection technology, it may occasionally identify non-malicious, legitimate software programs that also share these behavioral characteristics. Therefore, it is recommended that users manually check all files detected as Packed.Generic.238 by Symantec antivirus products for potential misidentification, and submit any suspect files to Symantec Security Response for further analysis. For instructions on how to do this, read
Submit Virus Samples.
In rare cases where a legitimate file has been misidentified and subsequently quarantined, your computer may behave abnormally or you may find that one or more applications no longer function as expected. In such rare situations, you should open the Quarantine in your Symantec antivirus product. From here, you may review the list of all files detected as Packed.Generic.238 and, if you identify a potential misidentification, restore the file from quarantine and allow it to run normally.
Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":
