Symantec has changed its decision to detect Freegate a Trojan. Dynamic Internet Technologies (DIT) produces the Freegate software. DIT provides, "low cost, reliable solutions for customized Internet service needs under challenging environments". Notably, this includes dynamic proxy technology to bypass web-filtering software, such as that used by the Chinese Government. DIT has strong links with the USA Government, collaborating on projects and testifying before the U.S.- China Economic and Security Review Commission
Symantec, which has headquarters in the USA, released definitions for its Norton Anti-Virus product that detected Freegate as a Trojan about 14 September. However, by 16 September, they reversed the decision, releasing a statement, "A number of our customers drew our attention to what they deemed the suspicious nature of the Freegate software. Upon investigation by our researchers, similarities were noted between how the software operated and how various Trojan horses operated, based on the use of open proxies to penetrate firewalls used to block web sites. As a result, it was deemed a cyber threat and blocked by our software. Since that time, further investigation indicates that Freegate is in fact not a Trojan horse and detection for this program has therefore been removed from Symantec's virus definitions."
The speed at which detection was removed seems to indicate this was a genuine mistake, despite the political overtones. However, it could still cost Symantec sales, as there has been considerable negative commentary concerning big corporations supporting Government censorship.