Secunia's Online Scan

[DavidR]

I read what Alan had to say, I know that PSI checks more applications )I had it installed before), but that doesn't get away from the fact that if you don't keep it up to date then there is little point in having it at all.

I keep all my security related application up to date, there is little point in having it if you don't keep it up to date. It is just my personal choice that this additional checking isn't worth the constant having to up date it, than just the OSI which really deals with the more critical issues.

[Alan Baxter]

I had it installed and it worked fine, I just didn't like the fact that I had to constantly update it (before I ran it) as there is little point in having this without it being fully up to date.

I'm not sure I understand your scenario here.  The program itself needs updates only every few months or so.  If you mean the vulnerability database updates, those are only done while PSI does its scan -- done either manually with Scan > Start Scan or automatically every week or so -- and then only for the programs already installed on the computer.  By "ran it", do you mean select "Start Scan" from the Scan pane?  When PSI is launched, it's scanning for any changes to the installed programs, not updating the vulnerability info.

I don't have PSI configured to start up with my computer.  I use it in Advanced mode, and unchecked Settings > Start the Secunia PSI on boot.  I launch PSI once a week while I'm connected to the Internet, let it take a few minutes to see if I've changed any of the programs (I don't think this is necessary, but it's just a background task anyhow.), and then select "Start Scan" from the Scan pane.  On my small, slow computer the scan takes about nine minutes to scan its 20GB of files.

Perhaps you use PSI differently than I do, but I respect your decision that, for you, PSI is more trouble than it's worth.

[SafeSurf]

Regarding PSI and dial-up, I kept getting a prompt from Secunia that it will "become available in the near future," but I was unable to use it on d-u.  Keep in mind that my d-u is really s-l-o-w.  It's been a while since I have tried this, and I therefore switch the d-u PC onto highspeed when I need to use PSI or other major D/L's, so perhaps it is now available and wasn't aware of it.