Database Updates and Version Info

[DougCuk]

I have multiple Malwarebytes (Anti-Malware) licences - but I have been holding off on allowing the upgrade from v2 to v3  -  basically waiting for the v3 product to become fully debugged and stable before swapping over.  I have two questions:

1. The Home Products Lifecycle page https://www.malwarebytes.com/support/lifecycle/ appears to indicate that support for MBAM v2 will cease on the 8-June-2017. Does this mean that all database updates will cease for installed copies of MBAM v2.2.1 - as from that date?

2. I have run a few tests installs of the v3.1 product - and one thing I can't seem to find is any display of the currently installed database version number/date - it just displays "Current". In MBAM v2 the database version info was shown on the tooltip popup from the notification area icon and in the Dashboard display. Where is this info now shown? 

When there is an issue with a false positive or bugged database update it was always possible in the past to state the database version you were using when reporting the problem - not sure how you would do this for v3.1 - where is this information now?  

[Porthos]

1 hour ago, DougCuk said:

2. I have run a few tests installs of the v3.1 product - and one thing I can't seem to find is any display of the currently installed database version number/date - it just displays "Current". In MBAM v2 the database version info was shown on the tooltip popup from the notification area icon and in the Dashboard display. Where is this info now shown? 

 

 

[bru]

Sure you can see it, but what does it mean?  Why Malwarebytes moved away from descriptive labeling is beyond me.

"Database version: 2017.5.30.1" seems pretty easy to figure out.  The numbering they use now?  Meaningless.

Edited May 30, 2017 by bru

[1PW]

10 hours ago, DougCuk said:

1. The Home Products Lifecycle page https://www.malwarebytes.com/support/lifecycle/ appears to indicate that support for MBAM v2 will cease on the 8-June-2017. Does this mean that all database updates will cease for installed copies of MBAM v2.2.1 - as from that date

 

 

 

 

 

A Malwarebytes staffer may weigh-in with updated facts to the contrary but unless I miss my guess, it is safe to say that users would receive a much more publically published advisory, that supplements the "Life Cycle" information, if those databases were going to terminate soon.  Please remember, databases are still being published many times daily for even the consumer version of MBAM 1.75.0.1300.

HTH

Edited May 30, 2017 by 1PW

[DougCuk]

Re question 2:   I was looking for a "Database Version"  item - I had assumed the two "Package Version" items referred to program modules not Database updates. Will look at this again on a live system - where I assume the Update Package Version should change multiple times a day if it is in fact the Database version number.

Re question 1:  The "End of Life" date in the linked Lifecycle page is shown as the 8th June 2017 for BOTH v1.75 and v2.2.1  (and v3.0.4) - so the implication would be that all these versions cease to get updates as of that date (the "End of Maintenance" date shows as December 2016 for all three). I assumed this was a heavy handed way of forcing everyone onto v3.1 - which is fine if that version is stable and de-bugged for all OS platforms and security package combinations. But could be a problem for those of us still using older OS's and/or combining Malwarebytes v3 with less popular security packages. MBAM v2.2.1 works well on older slower systems and plays happily with most other security packages - I am yet to be convinced about installing v3.1 onto these types of systems - so the June 2017 date is a concern. 

 

[joebytes]

I agree with DougCuk, I also have ver 2.2.1 and have been putting off the update to

3.12 simply because of so many issues...   I guess I'll have to upgrade by June 8

simply because ver 2.2.1 will not have database updates any more  ?? Is this correct???

thanks .......

joe

 

[celee]

Hi everyone,

On 5/29/2017 at 2:57 PM, DougCuk said:

1. The Home Products Lifecycle page https://www.malwarebytes.com/support/lifecycle/ appears to indicate that support for MBAM v2 will cease on the 8-June-2017. Does this mean that all database updates will cease for installed copies of MBAM v2.2.1 - as from that date?

23 hours ago, DougCuk said:

Re question 1:  The "End of Life" date in the linked Lifecycle page is shown as the 8th June 2017 for BOTH v1.75 and v2.2.1  (and v3.0.4) - so the implication would be that all these versions cease to get updates as of that date (the "End of Maintenance" date shows as December 2016 for all three). I assumed this was a heavy handed way of forcing everyone onto v3.1 - which is fine if that version is stable and de-bugged for all OS platforms and security package combinations. But could be a problem for those of us still using older OS's and/or combining Malwarebytes v3 with less popular security packages. MBAM v2.2.1 works well on older slower systems and plays happily with most other security packages - I am yet to be convinced about installing v3.1 onto these types of systems - so the June 2017 date is a concern. 

The December 2016 date was the "End of Maintenance" date for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75-2.x which meant we were no longer updating the program or pushing out fixes. You still would get database updates, now called Update package version in Malwarebytes 3.

The June 8, 2017 date is the "End of Life" date and means our support team will no longer provide technical support on an older version of our software. From our End of Life policy:

Quote

If you are using an older version of our software that is past its End of Life date, technical support will be limited to help with upgrade to the latest version, or migration to a comparable Malwarebytes product, if applicable. We will continue to answer common product questions, and any existing self-help resources will still be available. You may continue to use the older product version at your own risk, but ongoing protection updates are not guaranteed.

I just asked our Product Manager and he said Malwarebytes 1.75-2.x will continue to get database updates after the June 8 date for now while we continue to migrate users over to 3.1, but like the End of Life policy states, "ongoing protection updates are not guaranteed". I do not know what date the team will decide to turn off database update for the older Malwarebytes Anti-Malware versions.

On 5/29/2017 at 2:57 PM, DougCuk said:

2. I have run a few tests installs of the v3.1 product - and one thing I can't seem to find is any display of the currently installed database version number/date - it just displays "Current". In MBAM v2 the database version info was shown on the tooltip popup from the notification area icon and in the Dashboard display. Where is this info now shown? 

23 hours ago, DougCuk said:

Re question 2:   I was looking for a "Database Version"  item - I had assumed the two "Package Version" items referred to program modules not Database updates. Will look at this again on a live system - where I assume the Update Package Version should change multiple times a day if it is in fact the Database version number.

The database version number can be found in the "About" tab and is listed as Update package version, as pointed out in Porthos' screenshot above.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Thanks,
Cecile

[DougCuk]

OK so to summarize that very comprehensive reply from Celee:
1. Database updates WILL continue after the June 8th ("End of Life") date for MBAM v1.75 and v2.2.1
   - however there is no guarantee as to how long that will continue.

2. And MBv3 only shows the "Database Version" in the "About" tab 
   - where it is titled "Update Package Version"

[bru]

3 hours ago, DougCuk said:

OK so to summarize that very comprehensive reply from Celee:
2. And MBv3 only shows the "Database Version" in the "About" tab 
   - where it is titled "Update Package Version"

The database version is just a bunch of random numbers, they have no meaning whatsoever to anyone other then Malwarebytes.  The current system of using dates to identify datbase versions makes sense.  Why in the world did they move away from it?  We are supposed to trust MBAM that we are up to date when we could have used the dated database version to verify.  An extremely stupid change imo and not one person from MBAM has commented about it. 

Edited June 3, 2017 by bru

[DougCuk]

I agree - the new "Database Version" numbering system is a pointless downgrade of the available information. 

[Phone Man]

If you go to C:/Program Data/Malwarebytes/MBAMservice  folder it will show the latest update files and open dbupdate.log and it will list all your updates. My last updated was 30 min ago at 4:30 PM CST.

 

[whatmeworry?]

Phone Man, on MBAM2 I don't have to go to C:/Program Data/Malwarebytes/MBAMservice to see what the latest MBAM update is.  All I need to do is mouse over the MBAM icon in the service tray. It will immediately tell me the program version and the database version. It's a lot simpler and faster than what you apparently have to do. I don't understand why MBAM has moved away from this simplicity and speed. Also, I'm very much in agreement with what bru and Doug Cuk have said about the much more obscure and less useful naming of database files in MBAM3.  When I mouse over the MBAM icon, I'm told what the latest database file is in a way that's easy to understand. I just did that, and I'm told it's 2017.6.3.4, so I immediately know that I've got the 4th version of the database file created on June 3, 2017.  In contrast, telling me that I have "Update package version 1.0.2043" tells me nothing except that in moving to MBAM3, the company has mysteriously chosen obscurity over clarity.  I strongly hope they will rethink this decision.

[lmacri]

2 hours ago, DougCuk said:

I agree - the new "Database Version" numbering system is a pointless downgrade of the available information. 

I have to agree with bru, DougCuk and whatmeworry?

I've been monitoring this thread for a few days and reluctantly decided to upgrade from MBAM v2.2.1 to MB v3.1.2 today.  Immediately after installation my dashboard reported Updates: Current but after running a manual update my Update Package Version (Settings | About) was updated from 1.0.2060 to 1.0.2078.  This new database numbering system is meaningless unless "Current" actually means that you have the latest available database.
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.1.2 * NS Premium v22.9.4.8 * MB Premium v3.1.2.1733-1.0.139

Edited June 3, 2017 by lmacri

[Phone Man]

There was a post on here a while back on the meaning of Updates: Current but can't find it. Something about it was Current within a 24 hr period as there is an option to notify if the updates were older than 24 hrs. Maybe they could change that to the date and time of the last update on your system as that is logged as shown in my last post.

Also there are 4 products included in MB 3 and I would suspect that as each ones database is updated it is included in an update package as they probably are not all updated at the same time. 

[celee]

Hi everyone,

"Current" means your database has been updated in the past 24 hours.

-Cecile

[Wojtek]

It would really be very helpful to know when exactly you will stop to send updates,
to plan the future migration to a higher (present) version, or another
safety solution, please.

Edited June 13, 2017 by Wojtek

[Porthos]

3 minutes ago, Wojtek said:

It would be very helpful to know when exactly you stop to send updates

The answer was this.

 

On 6/1/2017 at 1:04 PM, celee said:

I just asked our Product Manager and he said Malwarebytes 1.75-2.x will continue to get database updates after the June 8 date for now while we continue to migrate users over to 3.1, but like the End of Life policy states, "ongoing protection updates are not guaranteed". I do not know what date the team will decide to turn off database update for the older Malwarebytes Anti-Malware versions.

 

 

[Wojtek]

Yes, I know, and my post was an answer, or a question to the answer posted by you. 

[Porthos]

5 minutes ago, Wojtek said:

Yes, I know, and my post was an answer, or a question to the answer posted by you. 

I feel the end of life date is a final warning. The time has come to go to 3x and correct, upgrade or replace systems that cannot work with it.  Updates will stop without much fanfare or warning. Kind of like when I tell my son "I told you so".

[Wojtek]

OK, I see.  By the way, which tool is most appropriate for clean removal of v1.75

Edited June 13, 2017 by Wojtek

[Porthos]

10 minutes ago, Wojtek said:

OK, I see.  By the way, which tool is most appropriate for clean removal of v1.75

The current tool works for all versions. Tool can be found at https://downloads.malwarebytes.com/file/mb_clean

What is MB-Clean?

MB-Clean (aka Malwarebytes Cleanup Utility) is a tool developed by Malwarebytes to assist with the following:

• Fully removing the following products:
  • All versions of Malwarebytes 3.x
  • All versions of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.x 
  • All versions of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.x
  • All versions of Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit 1.x
• Backing up of Malwarebytes 3.x license key
• Downloading of the latest Malwarebytes 3.x
• Installing the latest Malwarebytes 3.x and injecting the backed up license key

Note: MB-Clean replaces the legacy version of mbam-clean.

What do I need to know before running MB-Clean?

• Warning: although it automatically backs up and injects the license key, it's recommend you backup or obtain the licensing information before running the tool in order to restore the paid version
• Warning: we also recommend deactivating the product before running the tool. Refer to the links under "Helpful Resources" for detailed instructions
• It does not clean Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac or Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Mobile

[Wojtek]

OK, thanks a lot for your help! 

[Porthos]

4 minutes ago, Wojtek said:

OK, thanks a lot for your help! 

Any time.