Latest Version of Malwarebytes

[Seffrid]

How come some of you still use the old version? Not convinced the new version is trouble free or more effective ?

The new version was very controversial when it launched, some didn't like the UI, some had serious problems with it, and some were concerned at the extra time taken with scans although it has extra features responsible for that. Overall, it had a patchy start (no pun intended) and it is really only in the last few months that it's been regarded as more stable. Some upgraded straightaway, others have left it until things settled down. It looks as if it might now be time to go for it.

At least, that's how I've read the situation over the last 18 months or so.

 

[jonnyhillow]

Thats exactly how i read it as well , surprised some have still not switched at this point though , seems OK these days but to each their own. Some feel comfortable with the old and are used to it , humans by nature do not like change so it makes sense.

Explains the folks that are still using XP as well.

 

[Callender]

Used every beta version relased after v1.75 and had a problem with all of them. BSOD's mostly. They seemed to be down to the driver. Needed to remove the program and reinstall v1.75 every time I tried a new version. Finally installed a stable release and currently using v2.0.4.1028 with no problems.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Announcement:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Update to 2.1.7

We’ve just started rolling out a new patch update for Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, v. 2.1.7.1055, through the standard Malwarebytes Anti-Malware program update service.

This update is being sent out slowly to start so only a small number of users will receive it today. But we hope to ramp up quickly over the next week or so. We haven’t posted any information on our website yet about this release, but that will come as soon as the update has been made more widely available.

This release is limited to users updating from Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.1.4 or greater to start, so we don’t have a direct download link to share right now. I will update this topic with a way to access the full download once we’re ready to do so.

Please post questions or report any issues on our main Help forum here.

Full list of changes HERE
For questions or issues, please post in the MBAM Support Forum HERE

 

[jonnyhillow]

Thanks MM , i was just on the M bam site and i hope they take care of the issue below if it is in fact an issue .

Versions starting with 2.17 will crash while scanning if you have rootkit scanning enabled. Also if you have a bought copy of the premium the protection will randomly disable itself.

 

[Brink]

Thank you MoxieMomma. First post updated.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Thanks MM , i was just on the M bam site and i hope they take care of the issue below if it is in fact an issue .

Versions starting with 2.17 will crash while scanning if you have rootkit scanning enabled. Also if you have a bought copy of the premium the protection will randomly disable itself.

Sorry, but that is only one user's report (who has a long history of computer troubles and malware).
So, it's rather premature to ascribe the issue that user reports to a problem with the program itself.
Until the MBAM staff have a chance to review his logs and crash dumps, any discussion here of "the issue" would be untimely and unhelpful.

Problems and questions would be best handled -- as requested by the MBAM Product Manager -- in the MBAM support forum >>HERE<<, for prompt attention by the Product Team, QA Team, and Developers.

If you don't want to take the 2.1.7 update now, when/if it is offered to your system, then please be sure to disable the setting shown in this screen shot.

Thank you,

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Thanks MM , i was just on the M bam site and i hope they take care of the issue below if it is in fact an issue .

Versions starting with 2.17 will crash while scanning if you have rootkit scanning enabled. Also if you have a bought copy of the premium the protection will randomly disable itself.

Could you please provide a link to that? I went there and couldn't find it (that doesn't mean it isn't there; I just couldn't find it).

 

[DavidE]

It's probably this MBAM forum thread:
https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/169405-217-crashing-bug/

I normally test MBAM BETA versions on a test system, but i didn't know about any public BETA available for this release.
I'll test it when offered on my test box, but I wouldn't install it on my primary until i feel comfortable ...

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Thanks for the link. Being the confirmed coward I am, I'll still wait a bit before updating, just in case.

 

[DavidE]

Thanks for the link. Being the confirmed coward I am, I'll still wait a bit before updating, just in case.

You're welcome and i'm a coward too
You can read more of my thoughts about this update at Ten Forums here:
Latest Version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - Page 3 - Windows 10 Forums

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Thanks for the link. Being the confirmed coward I am, I'll still wait a bit before updating, just in case.

You're welcome and i'm a coward too
You can read more of my thoughts about this update at Ten Forums here:
Latest Version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - Page 3 - Windows 10 Forums

I always make an image before updating, making changes, installing new programs, etc. as well as once a week. I never could get System Restore to work correctly in Win 7 so I shut it off and depend on imaging. Right now, I'm waiting for a TV show to finish recording so I can make an image before seeing what happens if I move C: from my User folder to my main data drive.

 

[Victek]

Announcement:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Update to 2.1.7

I received an update notification via the internal updater yesterday and I went ahead. 2.1.7 appears to work just fine. I can confirm that the rootkit scanning option is no longer included during a Hyper Scan; any idea why it was removed? Now Threat Scan must selected for rootkit scanning (assuming of course that feature is enabled in advanced settings). The update is much appreciated

2.1.7 is not being offered yet on my other PC. It would be nice if an installer was made available for manual update.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi, Victek:

Announcement:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Update to 2.1.7

I received an update notification via the internal updater yesterday and I went ahead. 2.1.7 appears to work just fine. I can confirm that the rootkit scanning option is no longer included during a Hyper Scan; any idea why it was removed? Now Threat Scan must selected for rootkit scanning (assuming of course that feature is enabled in advanced settings). The update is much appreciated

AFAIK, Rootkit scanning never was a feature of Hyper scan.
By definition, a "Hyper" scan, which is the "fastest" scan type, does not include the deep, anti-rootkit scanning -- if it did, it would not be a "Hyper" scan.
I don't think that behavior has changed with version 2.1.7.
Having said that, the Hyper scan is NOT the recommended scan type.
If anything is detected on a Hyper scan, a Threat scan should be performed for full malware removal.
The Threat scan is the recommended scan type for regular use.
The types of scans are explained HERE

2.1.7 is not being offered yet on my other PC. It would be nice if an installer was made available for manual update.

This release is limited to users updating from Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 2.1.4 or greater to start, so we don’t have a direct download link to share right now. I will update this topic with a way to access the full download once we’re ready to do so. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Update to 2.1.7

Release of 2.1.7 via the auto-updater is being "throttled" (released to a small percentage of users at one time). It's not unexpected that computers in the same household may or may not yet have been offered it, yet.
Your other systems will eventually be offered the new build via the auto-updater, and a standalone installer for 2.1.7 will be made available for download at some point. It is not yet available at this time.

Thanks for your patience and understanding,

 

[Victek]

AFAIK, Rootkit scanning never was a feature of Hyper scan.
By definition, a "Hyper" scan, which is the "fastest" scan type, does not include the deep, anti-rootkit scanning -- if it did, it would not be a "Hyper" scan.
I don't think that behavior has changed with version 2.1.7.
Having said that, the Hyper scan is NOT the recommended scan type.
If anything is detected on a Hyper scan, a Threat scan should be performed for full malware removal.
The Threat scan is the recommended scan type for regular use.
The types of scans are explained HERE

Sorry but that is incorrect. See the screenshot of MBAM 2.1.6.1022 doing a Hyper Scan with rootkit scanning enabled. Also note that the rootkit portion of the scan only accounts for a few hundred objects and in this case took about a minute. The complete Hyper Scan looked at over 353,000 objects and took over eight minutes; the rootkit phase did not significantly increase scanning time. It was useful having this option in a Hyper Scan in some situations and so some functionality is lost in 2.1.7. I am interested to know why it was removed. And thank you I'm aware that a followup Threat Scan is recommended if anything is discovered by the Hyper Scan.

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi:

Hmm, that's interesting.
I just ran a *manual* Hyper scan on my own system (which has ARK enabled in the D&P settings) under version 2.1.6.
The scanner window does indeed show the scan progress as scanning for rootkits, and the resultant scan log does show "rootkits enabled". So I stand corrected, although I am surprised, as I did not know that a Hyper scan included ARK scanning.

HOWEVER, a couple of thoughts:

• There are 2 different places to enable ARK scanning -- both in the D&P settings in the main GUI, AND (for *scheduled* scans), in the Advanced settings of the task scheduler. (I don't think there is an option to change settings for a *manual* Hyper scan, as that is pre-configured.)
• I'm not sure if what shows up in the scan log reflects the D&P ARK setting or the scheduled scan task ARK setting, or both.
• The 2.1.7 announcement does indeed say that ARK scanning was removed from the Hyper scan:

Issues Fixed:
<snip>
Disabled option to specify rootkit scanning as part of a Hyper scan

I have queried the MBAM Product Team over at the MBAM forum for clarification.
This appears to be an intentional coding change to fix a "bug" in earlier versions, rather than removal of a feature.

Until they reply, can you please tell us, regarding your 2.1.7 installation:

1. If you look in the GUI for 2.1.7 (Settings > D&P > Detection Options), is "Scan for Rootkits" enabled?
2. Was the Hyper scan you ran that you say lacked the ARK feature a *manual* Hyper scan or a *scheduled* Hyper scan?
3. If it was a *scheduled* Hyper scan, if you look in the Scheduler (Settings > Automated Scheduling > Hyper Scan > Edit > Advanced > Schedule Options), is "Scan for rootkits" enabled?
4. Can you please export to a *.txt file the Hyper Scan log you referenced, and attach it to your next reply here?

I will report back when I get clarification. Please let me know if you need screen shots of anything I mentioned. I am not yet running 2.1.7 on my rigs, but I don't expect the GUI looks very different from 2.1.6.


Sorry for the confusion and thanks for your patience,

 

[MoxieMomma]

Hi, Victek:

OK, the MBAM product team (Senior Technical Product Manager bdubrow) has clarified the situation.

To summarize:

1. You were, of course, correct that ARK scanning has been removed from 2.1.7 Hyper scans.

Unfortunately that setting was never properly removed or disabled in Hyper Scans so it was possible to incorrectly configure Hyper Scans to include a rootkit scan up until 2.1.7. We corrected it because technically, if a rootkit was ever discovered then a full file system scan would also be necessary to ensure we can detect and clean the rootkit properly. This file system scan is NOT a default part of Hyper Scan. And while we could add an option for a full file system scan to Hyper Scan, that would add even more time to the total scan time, thus further defeating the entire purpose of Hyper.

2. That feature *was* present in earlier builds of 2.x, but it should not have been there in the first place.

But it absolutely should NOT have been.

Honestly, users could have found themselves in a bad situation because there are some cases where if we detected a rootkit during a Hyper scan and it was NOT followed up appropriately with a full file system scan, then that could have had caused severe problems on the system. so while it may have seemed like the rootkit scan was running just fine, and in the majority of cases it was, this has the potential for undesirable results.

So really, should never been allowed from the beginning.

3. As mentioned earlier:

If someone wants to do a rootkit scan, a standard Threat Scan with that option enabled is still the best bet.

4. And finally, it was the earlier builds of 2.x (pre-2.1.7) that were broken, so 2.1.7 fixes that problem.

And while it may seem like we should be able to "just leave it in there--it works fine," there are good reasons why it should not be included.

Bottom line:

ARK scanning is still included in the Threat (and Custom) scan, but has been removed from the Hyper scan, where it did not belong.
Threat scan remains the recommended and default scheduled or manual scan type for MBAM 2.x.

There will be more information (including an updated User Guide) and a standalone installer for the next build available soon.

Thanks,

 

[Victek]

Hi, Victek:

OK, the MBAM product team (Senior Technical Product Manager bdubrow) has clarified the situation.

1. You were, of course, correct that ARK scanning has been removed from 2.1.7 Hyper scans.

Honestly, users could have found themselves in a bad situation because there are some cases where if we detected a rootkit during a Hyper scan and it was NOT followed up appropriately with a full file system scan, then that could have had caused severe problems on the system. so while it may have seemed like the rootkit scan was running just fine, and in the majority of cases it was, this has the potential for undesirable results.

So really, should never been allowed from the beginning.

Thanks for checking with the MalwareBytes team and clarifying the issue. It makes sense given the seriousness of detecting/removing rootkits that they would not be part of a Hyper Scan. I'll pass this along in the MBAM thread at Wilders

 

[Victek]

MalwareBytes AntiMalware Update to 2.1.8

https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?/topic/169387-malwarebytes-anti-malware-update-to-218/

 

[Brink]

Thank you. First post updated.