How do I keep virus and spyware definitions up to date?
Updated: April 1, 2012
Applies To: System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection SP1, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1, System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection, Windows Intune, Forefront Endpoint Protection, System Center 2012 R2 Endpoint Protection
Virus and spyware definitions are files that act like an encyclopedia of known malicious software, including viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software. Because malicious software is continually being developed, Endpoint Protection relies on up-to-date definitions to determine if software that is trying to install, run, or change settings on your computer is a virus, spyware, or other potentially unwanted software.
To automatically check for new definitions before scheduled scans (recommended)
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Click Settings, and then click Scheduled scan.
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Make sure the Check for the latest virus and spyware definitions before running a scheduled scan check box is selected, and then click Save changes. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or confirm the action.
To check for new definitions manually
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Endpoint Protection updates the virus and spyware definitions on your computer automatically. If the definitions haven’t been updated for over seven days (for example, if you didn’t turn on your computer for a week), Endpoint Protection will notify you that the definitions are out of date.
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To check for new definitions manually, click the Update tab and then click Update.
Note
While updating definitions, if you're running Endpoint Protection on the Windows XP (with Service Pack 2 (SP2) or a later service pack) operating system or on the Windows Vista operating system, the program displays an "updating" icon .jpeg)
in the notification area.