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Massive vulnerability in Windows Defender leaves most Windows PCs vulnerable
tomos:
Doesn't seem to have worked that way in this computer. Win Defender was Off and is updated beyond that version(1.1.113804).
-Arizona Hot (May 26, 2017, 10:27 PM)
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where it didnt update (cyberdiva) was (as MSE) on Windows 7 computer.
May be different on 10?
cyberdiva:
Doesn't seem to have worked that way in this computer. Win Defender was Off and is updated beyond that version(1.1.113804).
-Arizona Hot (May 26, 2017, 10:27 PM)
--- End quote ---
where it didnt update (cyberdiva) was (as MSE) on Windows 7 computer.
May be different on 10?
-tomos (May 27, 2017, 01:17 PM)
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I confess that I'm not at all clear about any of this, but I stopped using MSE more than a year ago when I switched to Kaspersky (I had the offer of two free two-year subscriptions and decided to give Kaspersky a try). I've just checked with Everything Search, and Microsoft Security Essentials is not on my computer. Moreover, when I was using MSE, I'd get daily updates for it through Windows Updates, but those updates stopped when I switched to Kaspersky. Also, IIRC, Windows Defender existed separately on my computer from MSE when I was using MSE.
The arrangement I currently have is that Windows Defender does NOT automatically scan and does NOT use real-time protection. However, I think I changed the setting under Administrator from leaving "Use ths program" unchecked to having it checked. And since it's checked, it claims that the "program will alert all users if spyware or other potentially unwanted software attempts to run or install itself on this computer." Just how WD will know this if it doesn't automatically scan and doesn't use real-time protection isn't clear to me. FWIW, the version of the WD engine currently on my computer is 1.1.13804.0, and the antispyware version is 1.245.41.0.
tomos:
^ you have me there !
I had a quick look, and found this, here:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/mse-protect_start/what-is-the-difference-between-microsoft-security/a1225404-e58c-4999-93d2-f5ef78208994
Microsoft ... chose to use the Windows Defender name for 3 distinct products ...
Windows Defender (downloadable for XP, included on Vista and Windows 7, antispyware only, includes some useful system utilities, too, not present in MSE or Windows Defender/8-RT)
Windows Defender Offline (uses the same technology as MSE, but runs from a bootable disc created by the downloaded "wizard")
Windows Defender (included in Windows 8 and Windows RT [and Windows 10] that is a full antivirus and antispyware program)
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MSE on two Windows 7 machines here is using the same 'engine' as the Windows 8/10 Defender, i.e. the version number posted by deozaan.
cyberdiva:
Many thanks, tomos, for unravelling the identities of Windows Defender. I don't feel so bad now about being confused. :)
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