Why is MSAS accessing the internet?

[Eric the Grey]

I use the Sygate personal firewall instead of the MS one,
mainly because I'm used to and comfortable with it.

At random times (most often when I'm online gaming) I've
gotten alerts from Sygate telling me that Microsoft
AntiSpyware is trying to access the internet
(antispyware.giantcompany.com 216.32.240.26).

Now, since I can find NO update features within MSAS
settings, I have not allowed this traffic. I also have not
permenantly blocked it, since I have no way of knowing if
it is necessary.

Note, this is not during or following a scan, so there is
nothing for it to be sending out to Spynet (I sent one item
that was found on my first scan, and nothing has turned up
since).

Why is it accessing randomly for no apparent reason and
what is it trying to do?


Eric the Grey

 

[Bill Sanderson]

There is an update feature--File, check for updates.

This is also available through a Start menu shortcut entry.
If you go to Options, Settings, there are settings for the autoupdater
feature.

(So--there are update features there--check them out)

I'm not sure that these explain what you are seeing--this is a fairly
complex product and I've not tried to check out carefully what it is
doing--but those are some pointers to the update feature portion of things,
anyway.