ESET 12.x on Vista after April 15, 2021?

[Guest Vistapocalypse]

I’m not currently an ESET user, but I’m a Vista user looking for an antivirus and know that 12.x was the last version to support Vista. I have read the article Do you run ESET on Windows Vista or Windows 7? and it sounds like SHA-2 support will be required by April 15, 2021. I have manually installed Microsoft’s SHA-2 support on my Vista system, so my question is, Could I therefore use ESET 12.x on my Vista beyond April 15?

[Marcos 5,074]

To my best knowledge Microsoft didn't release an update that would add SHA-2 support to Windows Vista. Maybe you have found some unofficial ways how to install the appropriate updates; in such case ESET might work. However, should there be any issues we won't provide technical support for old OS's with unofficial patches.

[itman 1,659]

Appears that it is possible to update Vista to SHA-2 capability using Win Server 2008 R2 update.

Ref.: https://borncity.com/win/2019/07/29/windows-vista-no-more-unofficial-updates-due-to-sha2/

[Aryeh Goretsky 378]

Hello,

If you do not mind my asking, could you tell us a little more about why you are still using Microsoft Windows Vista?  Is it that you have specific hardware or software that does not work on a newer version of Windows, or perhaps you like its user interface/the user experience more, or something else? 

We typically do not get a lot of feedback (good or bad) from folks who run Windows Vista, so am trying to understand a bit more when we encounter this decade-and-a-half old operating system still being used.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

 

[Motofoxi 0]

@Aryeh Goretsky

Hello,

I am also using Windows Vista on several computers due to the fact that special software is installed. For example statistical software (e.g. Minitab) whose license is binded to the hardware where the software has been installed. These software packages cannot be transferred to another computer because license conditions do not allow this. An update of the windows vista to 7 or higher will cause problems, because software (e.g. Minitab) developed for Vista will not work on Windows 7 or higher. Error messages or program shut downs occur. The reinvest costs for new software is in the range of appox. 2.000 Euros or more for the statistical software. So you probably can get an impression of why I need to maintain the older windows version.

Consequently, I changed all my computers to Panda Dome antivirus software, because they support older windows versions with their current software and are not limited to the SHA-2 criterion.

I have been used ESET Internet Security for many many years and was confirdent with the product. But for me it is not acceptable to make a fall back form Version 12 to the ESET Intenet Security version 9, which is working with older windows versions. I got this information from your ESET support info.   

I would appreciate your comment very much.

Best regards, Stefan

[Aryeh Goretsky 378]

Hello,

Interesting.  I had suspected scenarios like these might be coming into play, but did not have any specific data.  Thank you for sharing that.  One thing I am curious about:  Since the software you mentioned is hardware-locked, what happens when the computer it is being run on develops a non-recoverable fault or fails completely?  Do you keep an inventory of identical computer parts in order to perform hardware swaps?

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

 

[Motofoxi 0]

Hello,

many thanks for your comment. If the computer fails completely the software license may be reinstalled under the premise that the software is under support.

Period of support is e.g. 2 years. Reinstallation is possible only during this period on a comparable windows vista environment. But if your software is out of support (after 2 years), the software may not be reinstalled any longer. Due to the fact that statistical software does not change its internal mathematical routines and procedures but only gets some minor impovements regarding graphical presentation facilities, you can use these software packages for many years.

Your question, what to do when the computer fails, is to reinvest in a new version of the software.  

Nowadays most software providers sell their licenses only for a limited period of time (mostly one year) and give online access to their servers, where the software is installed, so that the described problems with older windows versions will be no major point of concern.

Best regards, Stefan 

 

[Marcos 5,074]

I would just add that SHA-2 affects any AV vendor that uses dll modules. I've installed the above mentioned AV and confirm that they don't seem to use dll modules. I assume the modules are 00000XXX binary files in the ProgramData folder. Using binary modules has several disadvantages in comparison with dll modules while using dlls has basically just one - requires OS with SHA-2 support since Microsoft has stopped supporting SHA-1 which is not considered secure nowadays. Therefore I expect the remaining AV(s) to move to dll modules in the future like we and others did in recent years.

[itman 1,659]

1 hour ago, Marcos said:

Using binary modules has several disadvantages in comparison with dll modules while using dlls

The main disadvantage is Microsoft created Code Intregrity Guard in Win 10 to prevent malicous code injection into the process:

Quote

Binary Signature Policy(CIG –Code Integrity Guard): only allow modules signed by Microsoft/Microsoft Store/WHQL to be loaded into the process memory. A weaker control is Image Load Policy, which can prevent loading modules from remote locations or files with low integrity label; This is enforced at the callingprocess.oExtension Point Disable Policy: disable “extensions” that load DLLs into the process

 

[Vistapocalypse 0]

So no one is using ESET 12.2.30 on Vista with SHA-2 support installed? As for the former ESET user who now uses Panda: I tried Panda 6 years ago with disastrous results (had to reinstall my Vista). A better suggestion might be Avast 18.8 or equivalent AVG version. True, that’s a legacy version, but so is ESET 12.

[peteyt 393]

12 hours ago, Vistapocalypse said:

So no one is using ESET 12.2.30 on Vista with SHA-2 support installed? As for the former ESET user who now uses Panda: I tried Panda 6 years ago with disastrous results (had to reinstall my Vista). A better suggestion might be Avast 18.8 or equivalent AVG version. True, that’s a legacy version, but so is ESET 12.

Not got a lot of experience with either Avast or AVG (both owned by Avast). Used to use AVG years ago and used to use CCleaner until Avast bought the company behind it (piriform). Avast has had a lot of privacy complaints that has kept me away 

[Vistapocalypse 0]

On 1/30/2021 at 1:36 PM, itman said:

Appears that it is possible to update Vista to SHA-2 capability using Win Server 2008 R2 update.

Ref.: https://borncity.com/win/2019/07/29/windows-vista-no-more-unofficial-updates-due-to-sha2/

I have no doubt that it is possible, having done so myself; but I like your answer because it is not dismissive. The updates in question are those earmarked for Server 2008 SP2 (not R2, which is Windows 6.1 like Win7). They contain an extractable text document that explicitly lists Vista under applicability info. Since Microsoft did not block installation on Vista, I did not have to find “unofficial ways” to install them.

Another technical matter that might be relevant to using ESET 12 on Vista: Those SHA-2 updates change the build number from 6.0.6002 [SP2] to 6003. Of course that was also true of the BlueKeep patch that Microsoft urged Vista users to install back in 2019, at which time ESET 12 (and therefore Vista) was still supported. The build number change is known to have caused BSODs if Avast/AVG 18.8 was installed, however Avast issued a micro-update in June 2019 that resolved the issue. Have there been any reports of problems running ESET 12 on Windows build 6.0.6003 (aside from warnings related to the SHA-2 requirement)?