Auto Program Updates

[mylanta3]

Something has been concerning me for a long time with Malwarebytes. I am a reseller and I am constantly going back to clients months later and finding that Malwarebytes program is not updated and I don't know how they are missing these program updates. I have tried everything with them to stop this from happening because without the program updates, the definition updates don't mean much.

I have noticed something in program settings which makes no sense to me. "Under "Settings", "Updater Settings" I notice that "download and install program updates when available" and "notify me when a program is ready for installation" are both checked by default and that seems to be a contradiction. I wonder if we uncheck "notify me when a program is ready for installation", if the program update will then do what the first check states and simply install the program update after auto downloading it. I think this program would be so much more effective if we didn't ask inexperienced users to manually ok program updates.

[Guest spc3rd]

-post withdrawn-

[1PW]

Hello mylanta3:

If you are a reseller, affiliate, technician, corporate, business, educational, government or non-profit customer, then please contact corporate-support@malwarebytes.org and include full contact details along with your Reference # when you do to ensure that you receive prompt assistance.

Also make sure you have malwarebytes.org and salesforce.com in your Safe Sender list in email.

Thank you

[mylanta3]

Hello mylanta3:

If you are a reseller, affiliate, technician, corporate, business, educational, government or non-profit customer, then please contact corporate-support@malwarebytes.org and include full contact details along with your Reference # when you do to ensure that you receive prompt assistance.

Also make sure you have malwarebytes.org and salesforce.com in your Safe Sender list in email.

Thank you

To be quite frank, I did so months ago and the answers I got, were basically I didn't know what I was talking about and there is no problem. The one answer I got here so far excels the customer support I got and only a few hours has passed.

[mylanta3]

Hi Mylanta3!

That is exactly what I did with my MBAM Pro. I recall when I left both the notification box and auto-download box checked, I would get a message the database was x number of days out of date, every time I would go to run a scan.

Once I unchecked the notification box, all updates are done automatically. It would seem that when both are checked, MBAM defaults to just alerting the user of an update and doesn't download anything until you manually do it.

Thanks much this helps a lot.

[exile360]

They can both remain checked, in order for automatic updates to occur you must use the Scheduler button on the Protection tab or the Scheduler Settings tab on the Settings tab, otherwise scheduled/automatic updates will not happen.

[mylanta3]

They can both remain checked, in order for automatic updates to occur you must use the Scheduler button on the Protection tab or the Scheduler Settings tab on the Settings tab, otherwise scheduled/automatic updates will not happen.

I have always set that but I assume that is for definition updates which is not what I am talking about. I want to know how to get Mbam to automatically download and install program updates, the way any commercial Antivirus program now does without prompting the user to do so. What I have found is that almost all of my 300+ clients never manage to see these and apply them and are almost always infected a few months after I see them because of that.

[exile360]

I have always set that but I assume that is for definition updates which is not what I am talking about. I want to know how to get Mbam to automatically download and install program updates, the way any commercial Antivirus program now does without prompting the user to do so. What I have found is that almost all of my 300+ clients never manage to see these and apply them and are almost always infected a few months after I see them because of that.

It's for both definition and program version updates (as long as Download and install program update if available. is checked as this setting applies to both manual and scheduled updates) but a program update installation will not occur without user intervention, but the program now does show a tray notification when a program update has been downloaded so that the user can click on the notification and install the program update and checking/unchecking any settings/options doesn't change that.

[exile360]

An additional note, if you don't have MBAM notify you of program updates, then you will not be prompted to install a program update until you actually open the scanner.

[AdvancedSetup]

Well I'm not sure what Anti-Virus you're talking about because none that I'm aware of will automatically update the program version without input from the user.

I just had to manually go get a program update for Symantec Internet Security 2012 for my wife's computer because it will not automatically do it. It will update all sorts of other settings and files on it's own but not the program.

The last time I used Avira it too would not update the Program without input from me.

You're users are probably infected for some other reason than just not updating the program version because the main rules and methods of protecting the box are the same.

Same as most sites post, it's an ongoing complex battle to keep a computer safe and in every case I've seen there is always reasons why a user got infected.

I like MBAM and I think it's a great product but it's only one piece of the puzzle and it too can't protect you from everything.

1. Are your users surfing and reading email, etc on a LIMITED USER ACCOUNT? {probably not, which all security sites recommend}
   
2. Are ALL the Windows Security Updates applied and kept up to date including out of cycle updates? {probably not, which all security sites recommend}
   
3. Are ALL plugins and Browsers up to date (flash, acrobat, java, etc, etc...) ?
   
4. Is the user running a good Anti-Virus that is updated daily and set to scan at least once a week?
   
5. Is MBAM setup to update rules daily and set to scan at least once a week?
   
6. Is there a bi-directional firewall in place without excessive permissive rules?
   
7. Are they using P2P or other risky software?
   
8. Are they surfing WaRez sites? or Game Cheat sites?
   
9. Are they surfing porn sites?
   
10. Does the customer every temporarily disable AV or MBAM to check something out?
    
11. Do they click on attachments in email from friends yet not really knowing what it is they're opening?

The point being is that you simply cannot blame just Anti-Virus or MBAM because a system got infected. In every case I've worked on where the computer was infected it was lacking in one or more (often more) of the recommended security measures above.

The "Notify me when a program update is ready for installation" alert was actually added mainly for corporate because many users are not Admins and could not update the program anyways. So now the IT Admin can set it to either alert or not and whether to download the program updates or not so that they have a choice.

If the notify is enabled then at some point there should be an alert but I'm sure it's possible that many either miss it or ignore it. From that perspective I agree with you that another proactive method to let users know their is a program update available would be nice. If or when that will happen I'm not sure but hopefully we will revisit it again to do something.

Thanks

[mylanta3]

Well I'm not sure what Anti-Virus you're talking about because none that I'm aware of will automatically update the program version without input from the user.

I just had to manually go get a program update for Symantec Internet Security 2012 for my wife's computer because it will not automatically do it. It will update all sorts of other settings and files on it's own but not the program.

The last time I used Avira it too would not update the Program without input from me.

You're users are probably infected for some other reason than just not updating the program version because the main rules and methods of protecting the box are the same.

Same as most sites post, it's an ongoing complex battle to keep a computer safe and in every case I've seen there is always reasons why a user got infected.

I like MBAM and I think it's a great product but it's only one piece of the puzzle and it too can't protect you from everything.

1. Are your users surfing and reading email, etc on a LIMITED USER ACCOUNT? {probably not, which all security sites recommend}
   
2. Are ALL the Windows Security Updates applied and kept up to date including out of cycle updates? {probably not, which all security sites recommend}
   
3. Are ALL plugins and Browsers up to date (flash, acrobat, java, etc, etc...) ?
   
4. Is the user running a good Anti-Virus that is updated daily and set to scan at least once a week?
   
5. Is MBAM setup to update rules daily and set to scan at least once a week?
   
6. Is there a bi-directional firewall in place without excessive permissive rules?
   
7. Are they using P2P or other risky software?
   
8. Are they surfing WaRez sites? or Game Cheat sites?
   
9. Are they surfing porn sites?
   
10. Does the customer every temporarily disable AV or MBAM to check something out?
    
11. Do they click on attachments in email from friends yet not really knowing what it is they're opening?

The point being is that you simply cannot blame just Anti-Virus or MBAM because a system got infected. In every case I've worked on where the computer was infected it was lacking in one or more (often more) of the recommended security measures above.

The "Notify me when a program update is ready for installation" alert was actually added mainly for corporate because many users are not Admins and could not update the program anyways. So now the IT Admin can set it to either alert or not and whether to download the program updates or not so that they have a choice.

If the notify is enabled then at some point there should be an alert but I'm sure it's possible that many either miss it or ignore it. From that perspective I agree with you that another proactive method to let users know their is a program update available would be nice. If or when that will happen I'm not sure but hopefully we will revisit it again to do something.

Thanks

Hi Ron,

Long time no speak!

If we make the distinction between version updates and program updates (where the entire version changes) I would agree with you, but we are talking about simple program updates which all Antivirus programs I have ever used include automatically. When we move to a new version, well that is another story.

My point is we have users who pay money for a product to protect them. Antispyware programs can only remove what they can identify where an Antivirus program can remove something because of suspicious behavior we call heuristics and that is even adjustable in most programs. When the client starts to fall 2 versions back by missing these pathetic little prompts this program gives, and their computers are infected, then it becomes the software company's fault that this happens. I am going to answer your specific questions above by moving down those items down here in a minute and you will be surprised to note almost all of what you suggest, are easy to keep users from making those mistakes and most do them correctly. So if the program updates are missed by clients who have learned to update java, not go to porn sites etc....then why is it if the update notices are so obvious I can't get nearly any of 300 people to do that right? It has to be that Mbam does not make enough of an effort to make folks aware of these changes. And the person is paying for Mbam to protect than from malware and wants the software to do it all by itself. It is so damn confusing after telling them the program auto updates but not everything is automatic because...this is stupid, it is unnecessary because these clients could care less if you changed their pc's every day of the week yourself as long as they stay malware free!

list=1][*]Are your users surfing and reading email, etc on a LIMITED USER ACCOUNT? {probably not, which all security sites recommend} NO

[*]Are ALL the Windows Security Updates applied and kept up to date including out of cycle updates? {probably not, which all security sites recommend} YES

[*]Are ALL plugins and Browsers up to date (flash, acrobat, java, etc, etc...) ? YES almost 100% do that now.

[*]Is the user running a good Anti-Virus that is updated daily and set to scan at least once a week? YES

[*]Is MBAM setup to update rules daily and set to scan at least once a week? Actually set up to scan daily and update first

[*]Is there a bi-directional firewall in place without excessive permissive rules? YES

[*]Are they using P2P or other risky software? NO

[*]Are they surfing WaRez sites? or Game Cheat sites? NO

[*]Are they surfing porn sites? NO

[*]Does the customer every temporarily disable AV or MBAM to check something out? NO they would not know how.

[*]Do they click on attachments in email from friends yet not really knowing what it is they're opening?

NO

Almost 100% of my clients know all the above....