FCS update re-offering problem resolved

It seems like the WSUS team continues to face problems publishing updates.

This time, an update released for Forefront Client Security installed successfully without issues but afterwards another FCS update of previous version (1.0.1703.0) would be offered to the client. If the Client Update for Microsoft Forefront Client Security (1.0.1703.0) package attempted to install, it would fail as there would already be a later version of the FCS Antimalware engine on the system.

Consequently, the KB971026 update would be continually offered and continually fail to install.

Microsoft has re-released the (older) Client Update for Microsoft Forefront Client Security (1.0.1703.0) package. WSUS Administrators should sync their servers to get the updated metadata.

The issue did not affect home users running Forefront Client Security as part of an enterprise benefit, since Microsoft Update did not seem to face the problem (or was very quickly fixed).

Source: Forefront Client Security Support Blog

Forefront Client Security update released

As Microsoft announced yesterday, an update for Forefront Client Security anti-malware client has been released today. This update fixes several issues, including a new shortcut scanning behavior that allows overriding network location link (.lnk) scanning.

Even though .lnk scanning override is included with the update, it has to be explicitly enabled by the Administrator either through the local policy or through Active Directory by using a Group Policy administrative template (ADM) file, since this option is not manageable through the Forefront Client Security management console. Detailed information on how to achieve this, alongside more information about this hotfix, is available at Microsoft Support KB971026.

The updated client requires that definition update version 1.59.3.0 or a later version is installed.

Forefront Client Security (FCS) update coming to WSUS

After today’s heat about Morro / Microsoft Security Essentials (here and here), Microsoft is releasing an update to Forefront Client Security v1:

Improvements to the FCS  kernel-mode driver

A change in how the component object model (COM) is used in Software Explorers. There is an issue present, only in Windows 2000, that causes it to crash.

A change to how the FCS engine scans shortcut files(.lnk). The engine can now be configured to query the path to which the shortcut points; if the path is on the local computer it will scan the referenced location, if it is a network location it will not scan the reference

Source: WSUS Product Team Blog

Microsoft ‘Morro’ using the same engine as Forefront Client Security?

Microsoft Security Essentials (or ‘Morro’ as it has been know until today), the new free anti-virus offering by Microsoft, seems to be using the same engine and definitions as those provided by Microsoft’s business client security offering, Microsoft Forefront Client Security.

The comparison of screenshots speaks for itself:

(Screenshot from Ars Technica)

Apart from the Client version, which has been augmented to 2.0.xxxx for Morro – to be in par with the next version of Forefront Client Security 2.0 that will be part of the Stirling platform, all other definition versions are the same. Notably, Microsoft provides multiple updates of its definitions daily through Microsoft Update.

Microsoft provides the option to enterprises who have licensed Forefront Client Security in a per-user licensing model to provide the Client Security agent to employees at no additional cost for protecting home computers.

By releasing Morro by the end of 2009, Microsoft will further extend the coverage of their anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-malware offering to home users as well.