Secunia PSI

[suryad]

Anyone try out that piece of software? I think there is a browser version and a version that you can install on your machine. Its kind of cool in a way that it scans and lets you know what updates of the installed softwares there are.

I am a bit uncomfortable potentially as to all the files it is scanning and possibly doing something behind the scenes that I am not aware of. But still its Secunia...arent they big into security?

 

[N00b]

I've been using it since beta. I don't let it run continuously, I run it about once a week by hand. It's pretty cool because it tells you which of your installed programs have security holes and even links to the updates. I would highly recommend this to anyone because on a pc with a reasonable number of programs installed it gets next to impossible to track the security holes / updates for each program.

 

[suryad]

I've been using it since beta. I don't let it run continuously, I run it about once a week by hand. It's pretty cool because it tells you which of your installed programs have security holes and even links to the updates. I would highly recommend this to anyone because on a pc with a reasonable number of programs installed it gets next to impossible to track the security holes / updates for each program.

Yep thats the way I do it as well. I run it say once a month. Its pretty handy. I like how it does the upgrades to your software as well.

 

[dZeus]

Anyone try out that piece of software? I think there is a browser version and a version that you can install on your machine. Its kind of cool in a way that it scans and lets you know what updates of the installed softwares there are.

I am a bit uncomfortable potentially as to all the files it is scanning and possibly doing something behind the scenes that I am not aware of. But still its Secunia...arent they big into security?

I use it as a replacement of all the individual updaters that come with stuff like Adobe software, Sun Java, etc, with the exception of Windows Update, and use it in a similar way others have mentioned in this thread; I run it once a week.

However, it might not check ALL programs installed on your PC.

Another major problem is that it will NOT report when an installed program has a known exploit while there is no patch available for it. You'll have to read security advisories in addition to scanning with PSI at a minimum to keep your PC secure.
I don't understand why this is the case, as Secunia itself publishes these security advisories. Maybe program vendors can pressure Secunia somehow not to incorporate this feature? Or is there a pay-for edition that includes this? I can't think of any other reason right now why they don't include this functionality...

 

[suryad]

I use it as a replacement of all the individual updaters that come with stuff like Adobe software, Sun Java, etc, with the exception of Windows Update, and use it in a similar way others have mentioned in this thread; I run it once a week.

However, it might not check ALL programs installed on your PC.

Another major problem is that it will NOT report when an installed program has a known exploit while there is no patch available for it. You'll have to read security advisories in addition to scanning with PSI at a minimum to keep your PC secure.
I don't understand why this is the case, as Secunia itself publishes these security advisories. Maybe program vendors can pressure Secunia somehow not to incorporate this feature? Or is there a pay-for edition that includes this? I can't think of any other reason right now why they don't include this functionality...

Interesting about the security advisories bit. Yeah I pretty much use this to keep my softwares up to date as well. I am not aware of a pay version of this software. There very well could be.