- 10 Microsoft research projects
- 10 kitchen gadgets for the geek gourmet
- Verizon trounces competition
- Smartphone smackdown: Storm vs. iPhone
- FBI warns of holiday cyber scams
A Danish security vendor is offering a free tool designed to inform users when their applications need patching.
Secunia ApS released the beta version of Personal Software Inspector for download, a client program that periodically checks to see if new updates have been issued for some 4,200 applications.
After installation, the tool inventories a computer's software and versions. It classifies programs as "insecure," "end-of-life" or "up-to-date." The tool then runs when the computer is started.
When a patch is issued for a program on a user's computer, the tool displays a pop-up window in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, said Thomas Kristensen, Secunia's chief technology officer. Another panel provides a download link for the patch.
Personal Software Inspector is intended to get users to apply patches soon after release, as hackers increasingly are trying to exploit vulnerabilities in a wider range of applications. Users may also be uninformed about a new patch, Secunia said.
Some software programs, such as Apple's QuickTime and the Firefox browser, will check on starting to see whether patches are available and download and install those patches. But Kristensen said not all programs do this, and sometimes those mechanisms don't work properly.
"I'll argue we are more reliable than other update mechanisms," Kristensen said.
Other products, such as VersionTracker, will notify users when a new software version is available. But Kristensen said Secunia's software and service is focused on security, rather than merely alerting users when any new software version is released.
Secunia monitors the Web sites of a large number of software vendors for security advisories. Those advisories are put into a database, and the Personal Software Inspector polls the database periodically to check for changes, Kristensen said.
Secunia is licensing Personal Software Inspector to other vendors for use in security software suites. Two deals have been made so far, but Kristensen said he could not yet reveal the companies.
Rss FeedRss Feed
| NetworkWorld, Inc. | About Network World, Inc. | Advertise | Careers | Contact us | Terms of Service/Privacy | Reprints and links | Partnerships | Press room | Subscribe to NW |
| IDG, Inc. | CIO | Computerworld | CSO | Demo | GamePro | Games.net | IDGconnect.com | IDG World Expo | Infoworld | JavaWorld.com | LinuxWorld.com | MacUser | Macworld | PC World | Playlistmag.com | The Industry Standard | IDG List Services | IDG TechNetwork |
 The Leader in Network Knowledge© 1994-2008 Network World, Inc. All rights reserved. |
Partner Content
Brilliantly simple security and control solutions for email, web and endpoint
www.sophos.com
Stopping data leakage
Learn how to exploit your current security investment to control the information that flows into, through and out of your network.
Download the white paper.
Why detection rates aren't enough
Evaluating endpoint security products is a time-consuming and daunting task. Learn the six critical questions you need to ask prospective vendors to get the right endpoint solution.
Download the white paper.
Applications: taking back control
Employees installing unauthorized applications is a growing threat to business security and productivity. Cost-effectively reduce this threat by integrating control into your malware protection.
Learn more today.
Comments (3)
Free security tool ferrets out unpatched softwareBy DocDbase on July 27, 2007, 2:43 amI´m going to ask myself how much software from anyone, anywhere and anycompany I do want on my machine, running in the background, gathering information for what...
Reply | Read entire comment
Free tool and security for everyone!By meatpieandtatters on July 25, 2007, 4:15 pmPatching, most assuredly, is important. Unfortunately, all too frequently people believe wrongly believe that scanning and patching is the alpha & omega of security....
Reply | Read entire comment
RE: Free security tool ferrets out unpatched softwareBy Lewis Pearson on July 25, 2007, 4:07 pmSounds like something I'd be interested in...put me on your Mailing List...Thanks! Re: Free security tool ferrets out unpatched software.
Reply | Read entire comment
View all comments