diff -ruN simscan-1.4.0-patched-3/simscanmk.c simscan-1.4.0-patched-4/simscanmk.c
--- simscan-1.4.0-patched-3/simscanmk.c	2008-10-07 21:39:02.000000000 -0400
+++ simscan-1.4.0-patched-4/simscanmk.c	2008-10-07 21:36:26.000000000 -0400
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@
           Initializing    : Pattern version 218 (pattern number 51417)
         and we want 6.150-1001/218/51417 in the string at the end */
 
+      if(r == -1){
+        printf("error reading trophie pipe: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+        break;
+      }
+
       input[r]='\0';
       if ( (pos=strstr(input,"version ")) && (!fnd_vsvers || !fnd_patvers)){
         if (!fnd_vsvers && !fnd_patvers){
@@ -230,6 +235,12 @@
           SpamAssassin version 2.63
           and have 2.63 as version
         */
+
+      if(r == -1){
+        printf("error reading spamassassin pipe: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+        break;
+      }
+
       input[r]='\0';
       if ( (pos=strstr(input,"version ")) && !fnd_vsvers ){
         /* this line is the sa version */
@@ -266,6 +277,12 @@
       /* we are looking for this line:
          Version: 27
         */
+
+      if(r == -1){
+        printf("error reading clamdscan pipe: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+        break;
+      }
+
       input[r]='\0';
       if ( (pos=strstr(input,"ClamAV "))){
         /* this line is the db version */
@@ -308,6 +325,12 @@
       /* we are looking for this line:
          Version: 27
         */
+
+      if(r == -1){
+        printf("error reading sigtool pipe: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+        break;
+      }
+
       input[r]='\0';
       if ( (pos=strstr(input,"Version: "))){
         /* this line is the db version */
@@ -347,6 +370,12 @@
         /* we are looking for this line:
            Version: 27
           */
+
+        if(r == -1){
+          printf("error reading sigtool pipe: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+          break;
+        }
+
         input[r]='\0';
         if ( (pos=strstr(input,"Version: "))){
           /* this line is the db version */