Update Problems...again!

[chris18]

I do have avast.setup to have an application rule and 'allow' it as only client to connect to internet.
See the attached pic. As I replied you in Sygate forum Chris, I would not disable any usefull Sygate features like antiapplication hijacking, just to get the automatic VPS updates work.

Thanks for the reply and apologies for not responding to your Sygate forum post..

It's not the VPS (!AVS Update) updates that are the problem, these work fine and completely in the background. It's only when the program itself needs to be
updated that it becomes an issue.[/font]

As said, I only disabled the Anti-Application Hijacking to test the automatic program updating and once that completed OK I reinstated it. I certainly wouldn't run without it.

Does your advanced rule work for the program updates as well as the VPS updates?

I used Sygate for about 6 months. I have never have to disable any feature to get automatic updates... They worked like a charm for me...

Thanks, but again I refer to the fact that it's only program updates that cause a problem, not the VPS updates, and this seems quite common from reading various posts on the Sygate forum.

[Lisandro]

Thanks, but again I refer to the fact that it's only program updates that cause a problem, not the VPS updates, and this seems quite common from reading various posts on the Sygate forum.

While updating avast the file C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\Setup.ovr changes to C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\Setup\avast.setup in order to reach the website. So, if this information is useful, the 'problem' is how your firewall understand the transformation of this file and the connection of avast.setup. When a program updates 'really' exists, the avast.setup file changes and the firewall asks for a 'new/updated' connection.

[Jarmo P]

That pic was just a normal Application rule window. I don't have any advanced rules for Avast. Though I did just go with the right click to 'Updating -> Program Update'. And, there was no new program update, but it downloaded new VPS definitions with the same click.

[Lisandro]

And, there was no new program update, but it downloaded new VPS definitions with the same click.

This is by design:
Program update = program + virus database
VPS update = only virus database

[DavidR]

.Or if you chose not to install XP SP2, MS have now decided to force users to update after April 12th, the changes in SP2 are generally to increase protection, the same is true of the 4.6.623 version of avast.

Interesting, hadn't been aware of that. I have many friends who haven't updated to SP2, think a couple haven't even bothered with SP1.

Have you a link where I can read up and perhaps even point them to?

Thanks

There have been a number of articles in the on-line media, I don't have a direct reference although some of the e-newsletters I get have covered it. A google search for say Windows XP SP2 April 12 update may return some info.

If you switch of the auto update function (which these people who don't even have SP1 won't know of) and only do manual update, it will be possible to get round this. But as time goes on the only updates will be related to those using SP2, so your/their system is going to get more and more out of date and vulnerable. The main reason for this vulnerability is as MS announces a patch, it seems to wake up the script kiddies to try and exploit the vulnerability before people update.

[chris18]

.Or if you chose not to install XP SP2, MS have now decided to force users to update after April 12th, the changes in SP2 are generally to increase protection, the same is true of the 4.6.623 version of avast.

Interesting, hadn't been aware of that. I have many friends who haven't updated to SP2, think a couple haven't even bothered with SP1.

Have you a link where I can read up and perhaps even point them to?

Thanks

There have been a number of articles in the on-line media, I don't have a direct reference although some of the e-newsletters I get have covered it. A google search for say Windows XP SP2 April 12 update may return some info.

If you switch of the auto update function (which these people who don't even have SP1 won't know of) and only do manual update, it will be possible to get round this. But as time goes on the only updates will be related to those using SP2, so your/their system is going to get more and more out of date and vulnerable. The main reason for this vulnerability is as MS announces a patch, it seems to wake up the script kiddies to try and exploit the vulnerability before people update.

Thanks

Found a link and have read through. I can see that some people won't be too happy with an automatic inclusion of SP2 especially if they are only on dial up, as some of my family are. Also, although SP2 has been fairly successful there have been times when the upgrade has caused problem, I had some experience of this the first time I tried but fortunately I had an image file to revert back to.

[chris18]

Technical & jarmo


Shan't make any more replies as the points I wanted to raise have been answered.

Thanks to everyone for their contribution.