Third edition of vulnerability spotter Secunia PSI

[ronjor]

Version 3 of Personal Software Inspector (PSI), Secunia's free program updater, has been released with a much simplified user interface, enabling less technically astute users to keep their Windows applications up to date as well.

http://www.h-online.com/security/new...I-1628194.html

[Victek123]

PSI v3 makes it easy to see what needs updating and to also ignore items that can't be updated, such as some old UBCD4WIN plugins I have (if that was available in v2 it wasn't obvious). As with v2 automatic updating is optional in v3. Definitely more user friendly, but it's still tricky to let any program automatically update applications - better to turn it off and view the scan results what PSI alerts IMHO.

[Tomwa]

I personally just wish they'd support proxies already I believe it's due to their "Security by location" nonsense that they refuse to do so though I can only guess.

[Nebulus]

I installed it yesterday, but I had the unpleasant surprise that it started to download updates for all software that needed updates before even showing the complete interface, despite of telling it not to do so. So I promptly uninstalled it in 5 minutes

[Victek123]

Originally Posted by Nebulus

I installed it yesterday, but I had the unpleasant surprise that it started to download updates for all software that needed updates before even showing the complete interface, despite of telling it not to do so. So I promptly uninstalled it in 5 minutes

It downloads the updates automatically, but it doesn't install them automatically unless that's enabled.

I like this program more and more. It's getting very good and important in its main task (automatic download and installation of updates or new versions of vulnerable third-party desktop software). Of course, it's still far from perfect, but it's getting better. Personally, I don't use it, but I always install it in my family's computers when they ask me for some help.

I think it would be very beneficial if Microsoft decides to make a partnership with Secunia at some point (like Kaspersky did) to include an optimized version of PSI natively in Windows. This move would make sense, as Microsoft already stated that they don't have any plans to automatic update/install new versions of third-party desktop apps (but at least all Metro apps are covered as well as all Microsoft software and third-party drivers).

[Nebulus]

Originally Posted by Victek123

It downloads the updates automatically, but it doesn't install them automatically unless that's enabled.

Yes, I realized that but it is a bit absurd to freeze the application with a loading screen and to start downloading updates (without being told to). I would've preferred to see a list of updates and to decide myself what I download and install.

[rcdailey]

Originally Posted by Victek123

PSI v3 makes it easy to see what needs updating and to also ignore items that can't be updated, such as some old UBCD4WIN plugins I have (if that was available in v2 it wasn't obvious). As with v2 automatic updating is optional in v3. Definitely more user friendly, but it's still tricky to let any program automatically update applications - better to turn it off and view the scan results what PSI alerts IMHO.

I unchecked automatic updating when I installed it. I then changed the settings so that it would not load at boot, which saves some time and memory. I did not load version 2 at boot, either. Fortunately, I did not need any updates, so none were downloaded when I first installed the new version of the PSI.

[Page42]

Originally Posted by Nebulus

Yes, I realized that but it is a bit absurd to freeze the application with a loading screen and to start downloading updates (without being told to). I would've preferred to see a list of updates and to decide myself what I download and install.

By all means, yes, you are 100% correct in my book.
I was prepared to install the program until I read that it did that.
It seems a gross oversight on the part of the developers to not have that choice available to users.
Didn't earlier versions of this program do it that way... the user was allowed to decide what to download?

[MikeBCda]

I tried it for a day or so then uninstalled it for essentially the same reason. It took forever to get past the "loading" screen to the interface, and at that point it was showing "preparing download" for all installed software, even though I thought I'd disabled the auto-downloads, with another long wait before it finally sorted out what was already up to date.

I'd been unhappy with previous versions because they'd complained about being unable to run Java applets and/or improper certificates, depending on whether I was running the online or offline version. Given the problems with v.3 (which I've posted over at their forums), I for one would be quite happy if MS does not acquire it and incorporate it into the OS. Notices of updates, both security-related and others, are widespread enough on the web that I don't need a balky app to get info that's accessed much more easily elsewhere.

[MrPOE]

If you want it to work through a proxy, please see the information here...

https://secunia.com/vulnerability_sc...agentdownload/

... but modify it slightly to...

"psia.exe -i -R user@domain:password -x proxyIP:proxyPort -U proxyUsername:password"

[STV0726]

Long story short...it's basically Microsoft Security Essentials v4 complaints all over again. They major dumbed it down.

No more:
- Detailed dashboard
- Detailed info on severity level of exploit
- Link to specific Secunia advisories
- Safe browsing information
- List view (The view is now large icons)
- Specifics on file locations
- Ability to stop scans

Overall, despite my disappointment with the dumbing down, I like the new version and probably will keep it. They fixed some of the minor quirks that annoyed me, like auto-installing Firefox and it defaulting to UK English. Now you select the language the first time to prevent that from happening.

The forum reaction is hilarious. I haven't seen ONE person defend it. EVERYONE hates it and the simplification. There was people not posting ever suddenly posting just to complain...and there were people who signed up JUST to complain, yet Secunia assures they did this for the "intended audience" of simple people. Yup, MSE v4 all over again.

The good news is, unlike MSE, Secunia has since came back with a response that outlined they are addressing several of these issues with a small maintenance update by the "end of July" and moreover; by the end of the year, a rep claimed that they will have an update that supposedly will bridge the gap between this simplicity and what some of the power users want.

I agree...for a program like Secunia especially, a basic v. advanced view is a good solution.

More good news...Secunia continues to have NO PLANS to discontinue support for v2 or even v1.5 if you prefer that....


Link to download v2 (old): http://secunia.com/PSI2Setup.exe
Link to download v3 (new): https://secunia.com/PSISetup.exe

And if you really want it, get v1.5 here: http://secunia.com/PSI1Setup.exe

Hope this helps,

[JRViejo]

Merged Threads to Continue Related Topic.

[STV0726]

Thanks for merging...

Sorry about that. I thought I had looked and didn't seen another post already about it but I guess I missed this one.

[JRViejo]

No problem, STV0726. Take care.