Windows defender definition updates

[Vistauser324]

Anyone know for how much longer Microsoft plan to keep releasing Windows defender definition updates for vista? Seems odd they bother but I will take it.

Thanks

 

[Vistauser324]

I was under the impression that automatic definition updates ended for Vista in early July. Have automatic updates resumed, or are you downloading and installing Windows Defender definitions manually? In any case, I would recommend using a real antivirus such as Avast 18.8 or Comodo.

I was getting them from the website. Was just wondering how long vista will still be an option on the website.

Is defender no good then? It seems OK to me.

 

[Vistauser324]

I do not know when Microsoft will remove Vista from the website. I doubt whether Vista definitions are actually different from Windows 7 definitions, since Win7 is stuck with the same antispyware version of Windows Defender that was introduced with Vista - which might explain why Microsoft hasn't bothered to remove Vista from the website. My guess would be that definitions will no longer be posted after January 14, 2020.

OK, thanks. So is defender only good for spyware? It says it protects against 'other types of malware' as well.

 

[Vistauser324]

IMO it isn't good for much of anything except causing false positives from your real antivirus. I wrote about this at some length in the 3-year-old thread Avast Turns Off Defender. Isn't Control Panel > Security Center warning you that you need virus protection? I haven't turned Defender on in years.

Nope it was my understanding it is a fully featured anti virus. It offers scan options, real-time protection and definitions for pretty much every type of malware as far as I can tell.

I do seem to have mcafee installed on the computer that seems to be getting regular updates, should I run that instead?

 

[Vistauser324]

IMO it isn't good for much of anything except causing false positives from your real antivirus. I wrote about this at some length in the 3-year-old thread Avast Turns Off Defender. Isn't Control Panel > Security Center warning you that you need virus protection? I haven't turned Defender on in years.

Edit:

You are right. I went into security centre and it did say I wasn't protected both on spyware and virus protection. I selected turn on protection on both so now defender is on spyware and other malware protection and mcafee is on anti virus.

I assumed it was glitching out because it is so old but no! Thanks for the help, I am used to newer Windows when defender is a fully fledged anti virus but in vista and 7 it is just spyware and other malware not viruses.

Sorted now!!!

 

[Vistauser324]

Yes, Microsoft's Windows Defender Is Now One of the Best Antivirus Apps in the World only applies to Windows 10, and there's even more bad news:

When did you install McAfee? They ended support for Vista at least 3 years ago (System Requirements). I wonder if that's an ancient free trial from your factory image that you never uninstalled, which might explain why you were unable to install a decent antivirus and ended up relying on Vista's pitiful antispyware version of Windows Defender. I'm no expert on McAfee; but if you're running Vista, then you need to uninstall McAfee and use something else. Your options are limited (see Vista No Longer Supported by Most Security Software), but I mentioned two good free options in post #2.

I have no idea. The computer is late 2007 model and was somebody else's for until 2014, it has rarely been used as they struggled with connecting to the Internet and they rarely used it so still runs like a decent low budget machine. I had barely touched it myself these past 5 years I was just using it is a stop gap for few weeks to do browsing and some spreadsheets.


The mcafee seems to provide new definitions and 'on access scanning' and 'on demand scanning' and has been around on the laptop for ever and doesn't nag me so I assume the previous owner bought some type of lifetime cover on this computer so I still get new definitions?

 

[Vistauser324]

Yes, Microsoft's Windows Defender Is Now One of the Best Antivirus Apps in the World only applies to Windows 10, and there's even more bad news:

When did you install McAfee? They ended support for Vista at least 3 years ago (System Requirements). I wonder if that's an ancient free trial from your factory image that you never uninstalled, which might explain why you were unable to install a decent antivirus and ended up relying on Vista's pitiful antispyware version of Windows Defender. I'm no expert on McAfee; but if you're running Vista, then you need to uninstall McAfee and use something else. Your options are limited (see Vista No Longer Supported by Most Security Software), but I mentioned two good free options in post #2.

Now mcafee is saying it is not up to date! Despite saying it was yesterday. I tried to update it but it is no good, it clearly is no longer supported, I will get the free version of avast.

 

[Vistauser324]

Any idea how long avast plan on supporting vista?

 

[Vistaar]

Any idea how long avast plan on supporting vista?

Avast has already ended support for Vista. I specifically mentioned Avast 18.8 in post #2 because it is the most recent version that you could use. You might be reassured to know that I am currently using Avast Free 18.8 on Vista and getting definition updates. The Avast forum post End of support for Windows XP/Vista includes download links for 18.8 installers. I recall that Avast requires SP2 for Vista. Installing Avast will turn off Windows Defender.

Comodo is one security brand that still supports Windows Vista and XP, i.e. you should be able to use the current version and would still be eligible for program updates - but for how long I do not know. EDIT: Comodo Internet Security no longer supports Vista (see here).

 

[Vistauser324]

I mean definition updates. How long do avast plan to continue updating definitions for vista.

Avast has already ended support for Vista. I specifically mentioned Avast 18.8 in post #2 because it is the most recent version that you could use. You might be reassured to know that I am currently using Avast Free 18.8 on Vista and getting definition updates. The Avast forum post End of support for Windows XP/Vista includes download links for 18.8 installers. I recall that Avast requires SP2 for Vista. Installing Avast will turn off Windows Defender.

Comodo is one security brand that still supports Windows Vista and XP, i.e. you should be able to use the current version and would still be eligible for program updates - but for how long I do not know.

 

[Vistauser324]

Avast obviously has no plans to end definition updates, although at some unknown point in the future they might become incompatible with 18.8. If you are wondering when would be a good time to buy a Windows 10 PC, I would frankly suggest ASAP.

 

[Vistauser324]

I actually do have a Windows 10 PC!!! Another person just has this vista one to do email and browsing. Would it be OK for that or should the Internet avoided at all costs? I am aware it no longer gets security updates so nothing important is on it.

 

[Vistaar]

email and browsing. Would it be OK for that or should the Internet avoided at all costs? I am aware it no longer gets security updates so nothing important is on it.

That is a really big question. The forum obviously has a Browsers & Mail section, so I will be brief. The only thing more bleak than antivirus support for Vista is browser support for Vista. Chrome 49 and Opera 36 are more than 3 years old. Even Firefox 52 ESR received its final security update (52.9.0) more than a year ago. Lesser-known browsers are generally either Chromium forks or Firefox forks. IE9 should generally not be used at all. There is no satisfactory answer to the question, "What is the most secure browser for Vista?" Using Vista for web browsing is risky, period.

 

[Vistauser324]

I actually do have a Windows 10 PC!!! Another person just has this vista one to do email and browsing. Would it be OK for that or should the Internet avoided at all costs? I am aware it no longer gets security updates so nothing important is on it.

IMO

That is a really big question. The forum obviously has a Browsers & Mail section, so I will be brief. The only thing more bleak than antivirus support for Vista is browser support for Vista. Chrome 49 and Opera 36 are more than 3 years old. Even Firefox 52 ESR received its final security update (52.9.0) more than a year ago. Lesser-known browsers are generally either Chromium forks or Firefox forks. IE9 should generally not be used at all. There is no satisfactory answer to the question, "What is the most secure browser for Vista?" Using Vista for web browsing is risky, period.

OK, thanks for your help.

 

[bzbox]

Hi, is it possible that Vista don't want to install latest definitions on windows defender because of this?

Taken from the website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates

Note: Starting on Monday October 21, 2019, the Security intelligence update packages will be SHA2 signed.
Please make sure you have the necessary update installed to support SHA2 signing, see 2019 SHA-2 Code Signing Support requirement for Windows and WSUS.

 

[Vistauser324]

Hi, is it possible that Vista don't want to install latest definitions on windows defender because of this?

Taken from the website: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates

Note: Starting on Monday October 21, 2019, the Security intelligence update packages will be SHA2 signed.
Please make sure you have the necessary update installed to support SHA2 signing, see 2019 SHA-2 Code Signing Support requirement for Windows and WSUS.

Because of what?

 

[lmacri]

Hi, is it possible that Vista don't want to install latest definitions on windows defender because of this?

Taken from the website: Latest security intelligence updates for Windows Defender Antivirus and other Microsoft antimalware - Microsoft Security Intelligence

Note: Starting on Monday October 21, 2019, the Security intelligence update packages will be SHA2 signed.
Please make sure you have the necessary update installed to support SHA2 signing, see 2019 SHA-2 Code Signing Support requirement for Windows and WSUS.

Hi bzbox:

This could be an issue going forward from 21-Oct-2019 for any Microsoft products installed on Vista SP2 machines that should still be receiving regular updates. The properties for the Windows Defender standalone mpas-fe.exe installer I downloaded today on 29-Oct-2019 (Definition v1.305.927.0) is signed exclusively with a SHA-2 hash:



However, I don't think that explains why Windows Update was not detecting these Windows Defender updates as far back as July 2019. I still have copy of the old mpas-fe.exe installer I manually installed on 22-Jul-2019 (Definiton v1.299.282.0) and it was still dual-signed with both SHA-1 and SHA-2 hashes.



I wondered the same thing myself and asked about these digital signing requirements back in July 2019 in the Jody Thorton's MSFN thread Server 2008 Updates on Windows Vista. The response from VistaLover (who I believe had already installed the required April/May 2019 Win Server 2008 security updates to support SHA-2 signing) also noticed that Windows Update stopped delivering updates for Windows Defender definitions on their machine around 06-Jul-2019 and didn't think the problem had anything to do with SHA-1 vs SHA-2 signing (at least back in July 2019).
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Norton Security Deluxe v22.15.2.22 * MS Office Professional 2003 * Malwarebytes Free v3.5.1
HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

 

[Vistaar]

Hi, is it possible that Vista don't want to install latest definitions on windows defender because of this?

Not just possible: I am quite certain it would prevent you from installing the latest definitions for Windows Defender.

 

[bzbox]

That's why I am asking, downloading mpas-fe.exe manually, then runing as administrator worked until 21.10.2019.
Is there any chance this will be corrected or is now really over with Defender updates for Vista?

 

[Vistauser324]

That's why I am asking, downloading mpas-fe.exe manually, then runing as administrator worked until 21.10.2019.
Is there any chance this will be corrected or is now really over with Defender updates for Vista?

I think so.