mcafee antivirus definition file updates

[Andrew Hollock (online)]

Now that version 8 is out which updates the program via the product
instead of using the
manual dat files from the web site, one question remains.

how long will it be before the files are no longer available to download
for version 6 and 7 manually. ?


Thanks

 

[Jeff Layman]

Good question. Hopefully for around a year at least, as I've just arranged
to "downgrade"(?) from the VS8 I installed a few weeks ago back to VS7, as I
don't like the insecure updating with VS8. AFAIK there is no difference in
virus detection functionality between 7 and 8.

You can manually update with VS8, but you need to have ActiveX and cookies
enabled in your browser. And as M$ have started the beginning of the end
for ActiveX in XP SP2, I can only wonder what McAfee are going to try next
in VS9 when it arrives so that they have full control of updating.

 

[Nel]

Hi,
I couldn't seem to upgrade the dat files at all after my year of paying was
up. Once before when I had paid for the year I got to up grade dats for at
least a year afterwards. I don't know what the deal is. Maybe it's because I
put AVG on my PC? Maybe you can't run both?....thanks....Nel

"

Good question. Hopefully for around a year at least, as I've just arranged
to "downgrade"(?) from the VS8 I installed a few weeks ago back to VS7, as I
don't like the insecure updating with VS8. AFAIK there is no difference in
virus detection functionality between 7 and 8.

You can manually update with VS8, but you need to have ActiveX and cookies
enabled in your browser. And as M$ have started the beginning of the end
for ActiveX in XP SP2, I can only wonder what McAfee are going to try next
in VS9 when it arrives so that they have full control of updating.

 

[Peacekeeper]

ftp://ftp.nai.com/virusdefs/4.x
dats for vs7 and lower

Hi,
I couldn't seem to upgrade the dat files at all after my year of paying was
up. Once before when I had paid for the year I got to up grade dats for at
least a year afterwards. I don't know what the deal is. Maybe it's because I
put AVG on my PC? Maybe you can't run both?....thanks....Nel

"

Good question. Hopefully for around a year at least, as I've just arranged
to "downgrade"(?) from the VS8 I installed a few weeks ago back to VS7,

as

 

[Wrangler]

I've just arranged to "downgrade"(?) from the VS8 I installed a few weeks
ago back to VS7, as I

don't like the insecure updating with VS8.

What don't you like / consider to be insecure about the updating in VS8...

I don't know a lot about VS8, but am interested to see what you consider to
be an insecure update method.

..\/.artin

 

[Jeff Layman]

Firstly, I don't trust anything which connects to the internet without me
knowing about it (and thank goodness I use XP instead of Win98. I
understand that for some users, VS8 tries to dial home every 5 minutes to
autoupdate under Win98, and it can't be turned off). And the damn thing
interrupts what I'm doing a few seconds after I connect, to do what it
wants. It's not an application you can stop with Task Manager, either. So
effectively, something you have no control of (unless you choose to manually
update) is connecting to the internet and downloading to your computer.
Call me paranoid, but the first thing I switched off after installing XP was
Microsoft's autoupdate, and here's my AV program doing the same thing.

So you go to manual update, but you can only connect through McAfee's
website. That wouldn't be so bad (although IE6 isn't exactly known for its
security...), but you can't download the files without having ActiveX and
cookies activated! It's a big step backwards from VS7 in my view. I've now
reinstalled VS7 and am much happier - I update when I want to and don't have
to go through IE.

 

[Wrangler]

Fair enough. Thanks for the perspective.

I know some people from McAfee lurk, so your thoughts may find their way
into an FMR (Feature Modification Request) for VS retail.

If anything, you may like to drop them a line with your thoughts.

..\/.artin

 

[Jeff Layman]

I received a lot of help from McAfee forum - which is run by volunteers! And
I'm pleased to publicly note here my appreciation for their help. I (and
others) have already let the forum know what I like/don't like, and it is
rumoured (!) that McAfee may actually look at the comments now and again.

 

[Peacekeeper]

Thats my rumour Jeff. Developers are said to have looked at our posts
there Hopefully some of the mud stuck.

As far as I understand the Dial out issue should be looked into/addressed
better in version 8.1 (yes the magical version that fixes all the bugs) That
is out within 4 weeks though why the wait beats the hell outof me.We will
have to wait till then to see fixes
PK