New Update F-Secure beta version updates

[Lord Ami]

FS Protection PC releases

We are trying something new.

community.f-secure.com

Release 19.9 beta 1 (6.0.447)​

The underlying technology providing Device Protection and Scam Protection features has been changed and related to this, a number of significant changes have been introduced in version 19.9 as listed below. After FS Protection has been upgraded to 19.9, there will be a period of several minutes while the new Device Protection version is being installed; during this period Windows Defender will be activated to protect the system.

Device Protection changes:

• Device Protection is not yet supported on ARM64 processor computers. ARM64 support will be added in a future beta release.
• The "Scanning settings" tab has been removed from Settings and controls from this tab have been moved to the "Device Protection" tab.
• On the "Device Protection" tab, real-time protection related settings have been simplified by moving them under the "Virus Protection" control.
• The "DeepGuard" setting that controls behavior based detection has been replaced with "Behavior Detection". Files scanned or blocked by signature-based scanning and behavior detection are both counted under the same "Files checked" and "Files blocked" counters in the Main UI: the separate "Applications verified" and "Applications blocked" counters are no longer visible. Also, both "Files checked" and "Files blocked" counters will be reset to zero with 19.9 update.
• The "Ransomware Protection" setting is no longer visible as this feature can no longer be enabled or disabled separately from the main "Virus Protection" setting. Also, the protected folders cannot be configured anymore, and the "Protected" tab has been removed from "App and file control".
• Tamper Protection only protects the Device Protection related components from being disabled or modified, it no longer protects all components of the product.
• Running speed of scheduled scans (low priority vs high speed) can no longer be configured.
• The exclusions mechanism in manual scans has changed: previously, the excluded folders were completely ignored; now they will be processed by the scanner to find possible references to non-excluded folders, and if such references are found, their targets will be scanned. Thus, excluding folders from scanning will somewhat reduce the effect of making scans faster.
• False positives can no longer be reported directly from the "Quarantined" tab of "App and file control". To send a file sample of false positive detection to F-Secure, go to the "Device Protection" view of the Main UI, click on "Submit a sample", and follow instructions on the web page opened.
• Files placed in quarantine before version 19.9 will no longer be accessible and cannot be restored after upgrading to version 19.9. In the future, a special tool for accessing files quarantined by older product versions may be provided.
• Updates of various components of Device Protection are no longer visible as separate entities on the Updates tab in Settings: they are replaced by a single "Device Protection" update.
• The "Turn off protection" functionality is no longer available and the respective button has been removed from the Support tab. Use the "Virus Protection" toggle on "Device Protection" tab in case it is necessary to disable all real-time protections.

Scam Protection changes:

• Web browsers that were kept open during update to version 19.9 need to be restarted in order for protection components utilizing the browser extension to work correctly.

Bug fixes:​

• Reputation cache reset crashes the UI (PBL-13715)
• Reputation cache reset not always effective (PBL-13420)
• Settings UI crashes if CTRL-click on navigation menu (PBL-13710)
• Settings UI sometimes opens in wrong page (PBL-13757)
• Settings UI text field misalignment (PBL-13663)
• Smart task progress spinner color and texts wrong (PBL-13738)
• Logout dialog title is not localized (PBL-13648)

Known issues:

• On ARM64, banking sessions are not visible: while user’s banking sessions are protected, the “green” frame will not appear to indicate this.

 

[Lord Ami]

Some screenshots. Seems like it's practically replaced with Avira? Scan was running, thus the high disk usage

Update: After running the scan, the scan summary gives

Version information​

Scanning engines:​

• Core: 2.0.1.8
• Detection: 8.3.70.44 (2024-10-16T00:00:00Z)
• EPP: 1.0.2410.4113
• ODS: 1.0.2410.1851
• Quarantine: 1.0.2410.1217
• Remediation: 1.0.2410.1677
• VDF: 8.20.38.124 (2024-11-12T14:15:25Z)

 

[Szellem]

Some screenshots. Seems like it's practically replaced with Avira? Scan was running, thus the high disk usage

Update: After running the scan, the scan summary gives

Version information​

Scanning engines:​

• Core: 2.0.1.8
• Detection: 8.3.70.44 (2024-10-16T00:00:00Z)
• EPP: 1.0.2410.4113
• ODS: 1.0.2410.1851
• Quarantine: 1.0.2410.1217
• Remediation: 1.0.2410.1677
• VDF: 8.20.38.124 (2024-11-12T14:15:25Z)

Is it good for us that they replaced it with Avira?

 

[Jonny Quest]

Hi @Lord Ami You've been using F-Secure longer than I have, and been a member on their forum longer than I have so please help me to understand this, is it normal to go from 19.7 public release version to beta 19.9? What happened to beta 19.8, and then it's final public release version, then going to beta19.9?

TIA

 

[Szellem]

Hi @Lord Ami You've been using F-Secure longer than I have, and been a member on their forum longer than I have so please help me to understand this, is it normal to go from 19.7 public release version to beta 19.9? What happened to beta 19.8, and then it's final public release version, then going to beta19.9?

TIA

Good point. It is a very interesting question. I'm interested too.

 

[Oldie1950]

I just received version 19.8.

 

[Digmor Crusher]

I just received version 19.8.

Me too on laptop.

 

[Jonny Quest]

@Oldie1950 and @Digmor Crusher thanks for the posts. I just did a manual update to 19.8 as well.

From this link:

FSecure Knowledge

kb.f-secure.com

Version 19.8​

Released November 2024

Feature Name Updates​

• To improve clarity, Privacy VPN has been renamed to VPN, and Cookie blocker has been renamed to Cookie Popup Blocker.

New look and feel​

• The Main User Interface and Settings have received additional look and feel updates, building on the improvements from the previous release.
• The Scam Protection browser block page and search result popup have been refreshed to align with our new style (extension version 6.1.x).

That was a pretty quick update interval from 19.7 to 19.8. Maybe to help pave the way for the multiple 19.9 changes coming?

 

[Lord Ami]

Hi @Lord Ami You've been using F-Secure longer than I have, and been a member on their forum longer than I have so please help me to understand this, is it normal to go from 19.7 public release version to beta 19.9? What happened to beta 19.8, and then it's final public release version, then going to beta19.9?

TIA

I'm not sure either. Seems like they did not want to go straight to 20.0 since it would signal people that something big has changed?
Also I wonder what happens to in-house DeepGuard and other technologies.

Anyhow, eagerly waiting for some tests A few hours with it was a breeze. On demand scanner was fast and so was the system overall. I did not notice slowdown or hiccups of any sort. Also update run a lot quicker (vs Capricorn)

 

[Jonny Quest]

I'm not sure either. Seems like they did not want to go straight to 20.0 since it would signal people that something big has changed?
Also I wonder what happens to in-house DeepGuard and other technologies.

Anyhow, eagerly waiting for some tests A few hours with it was a breeze. On demand scanner was fast and so was the system overall. I did not notice slowdown or hiccups of any sort. Also update run a lot quicker (vs Capricorn)

Yep, I was wondering the same thing, after I saw your image captures. Behavior Detection a different technology than DeepGuard?

@Lord Ami I like your idea of starting this thread, and just posting all the betas here, instead of multiple separate beta threads.

 

[Lord Ami]

Yep, I was wondering the same thing, after I saw your image captures. Behavior Detection a different technology than DeepGuard?
View attachment 286261
View attachment 286263

My understanding is that it utilizes Avira's Sentry Eye (SentryEye.exe) that by the looks of it, monitors the system.

The new version incorporates multiple logs that one can check out, located in C:\ProgramData\Endpoint Protection SDK\logs
For example EndpointProtectionService.log lists various things like

[2024-11-12 18:52:35.543] [info] [BaseScan] [thread id: 7268] [ProtectionCloud] The file '\\?\C:\Program Files\Everything\Everything.exe' was scanned with the Protection Cloud. SHA256: 'c194acec8a66c7c73438098e673328bbab594ab489401823038bc3a97ec70a72' Requestor: 'RealtimeProtection' Flags: '' Status: successful

In total I see 24 log entries with "was scanned with the Protection Cloud"

[2024-11-12 21:56:32.484] [info] [RealTimeProtection] [thread id: 9284] [FileScan] Sentry Provided Info, Trusted installer started:C:\Windows\servicing\TrustedInstaller.exe, PiD:1132, ParentPid:900

[2024-11-12 18:34:34.644] [info] [Core] [thread id: 14868] [CoreSdk] Updated '3' files for 'avcp-engine' module

[2024-11-12 18:34:43.225] [info] [Core] [thread id: 14868] [CoreSdk] Updated '92' files for 'avcp-vdf' module

Actually have not updated since (in over 3 hours)

 

[Jonny Quest]

A post today on the F-Secure forum beta thread regarding Behavior Detection and DeepGuard (in the below Quote box). It also answered a concern about Ransomware and not being able to add, configure folders anymore (taken from the 1st post of this thread):

• The "Ransomware Protection" setting is no longer visible as this feature can no longer be enabled or disabled separately from the main "Virus Protection" setting. Also, the protected folders cannot be configured anymore, and the "Protected" tab has been removed from "App and file control".

DeepGuard is gone and Behavior Detection fulfills the same functionality.

Ransomware Protection is now part of Real-time protection. You can not configure directories to protect (it's automatic) and it's on when Real-time protection is on.

 

[bazang]

A post today on the F-Secure forum beta thread regarding Behavior Detection and DeepGuard (in the below Quote box). It also answered a concern about Ransomware and not being able to add, configure folders anymore (taken from the 1st post of this thread):

• The "Ransomware Protection" setting is no longer visible as this feature can no longer be enabled or disabled separately from the main "Virus Protection" setting. Also, the protected folders cannot be configured anymore, and the "Protected" tab has been removed from "App and file control".

Something is rotten in Finland at F-Secure. I reported multiple bugs and it took the developers over two months to perform a few trivial fixes. Also there apparently are big changes happening to the F-Secure code base without any clear guidance on how the product is going to be changed.

Might have to jump ship to a different product. The way that F-Secure communicates does not exactly inspire confidence. If a person wanted Avira protections, then they would be better off just purchasing Avira.

Typically, these seismic, unexplained changes - cloaked by control name and feature functionality changes - do not turn out very well for F-Secure. Plus, from what I understand, internally neither F-Secure nor WithSecure are doing as well as they had planned after the de-merger of enterprise WithSecure.

 

[Jonny Quest]

Something is rotten in Finland at F-Secure. I reported multiple bugs and it took the developers over two months to perform a few trivial fixes. Also there apparently are big changes happening to the F-Secure code base without any clear guidance on how the product is going to be changed.

Might have to jump ship to a different product. The way that F-Secure communicates does not exactly inspire confidence. If a person wanted Avira protections, then they would be better off just purchasing Avira.

Typically, these seismic, unexplained changes - cloaked by control name and feature functionality changes - do not turn out very well for F-Secure. Plus, from what I understand, internally neither F-Secure nor WithSecure are doing as well as they had planned after the de-merger of enterprise WithSecure.

After reading this, that was exactly the same thought I had. IMO, there are 80% window dressing changes going on (the last couple of versions), changing /renaming UI features, merging features, deleting some links (like to Windows Firewall etc.) is concerning

What is also confusing are the product versions here in the US, and the European versions and names in trying to keep track what's going on. Especially with the ISP versions, that get mixed into the forum.

The protection is good, the stability is good, the lack of running processes and at times the low RAM is good (for some, that doesn't matter, but for me it does), very good web protection but TrafficlLights ratings are much better. I submitted a site yesterday that if you do a Speccy search, not all of the search results show as being rated yet (TrafficLight, they are). I've submitted about 4-5 sites so far in the last 3 - 4 months, really F-Secure?


I am not a flaming fanboy of F-Secure in this regard:

1) Can we finally come up with a resolve for the FP's issue they've had for ~10 years?
2) Can we figure out the VPN connection problem that's been going on since April without having to disable Kyber support, the workarounds (still "under investigation") without resolution?!
3) Can you get a VPN where you don't have to open the app to enable, disable it or it's settings, at least a system try icon? From my understanding, the Freedome app was much better a full fledged VPN all the way around, but of course they discontinued it....well, maybe not due to the out cry against the Total app version. And I'm still not sure when that's going to happen? Can they eventually include WireGuard, which seems all of the other VPN's have or are going to be totally migrating to, like Mullvad?
4) I like the Password Vault, but again, but it's pretty basic, just like the rest of the app is, with its lack of AV settings (now being cut back and merged). To many times I have to copy and paste login credentials on websites when using the password vault. I'm finding ProtonPass (using the free version) to be so much better, and is now my default PM.
5) Why on some weekends, does a member have to post that there were no Capricorn updates over the weekend? Granted, if you're online, that isn't really an issue, but I find it a little embarrassing that it happens.

IMO, F-Secure is a bit of a half baked product, minimalistic to be sure, and maybe getting to be even more so from v19.9 ->.
Trying to figure them out, and where they're heading or what they're going to do next, its like trying to nail Jell-O to a wall.

So yes, I'm kind of where you're at as far as making a change (Avast/Avira free?), but my subscriptions are good through May of 2025, so I may just go for the ride and see where it ends up by that time.

 

[Zartarra]

Too bad. It was a great product. I used it for 2 years but last year I didn't renew my license. I was not a big fan of the new UI and the integrated VPN solution. An now the product seems to go down hill. All the new thing are just UI renaming and revamping. The new features are Avira based.
Also not a big fan of this: "Tamper Protection only protects the Device Protection related components from being disabled or modified, it no longer protects all components of the product".

Also you can get Avira much cheaper than F-secure.

I hope they can change the tide.

 

[Vitali Ortzi]

Too bad. It was a great product. I used it for 2 years but last year I didn't renew my license. I was not a big fan of the new UI and the integrated VPN solution. An now the product seems to go down hill. All the new thing are just UI renaming and revamping. The new features are Avira based.
Also not a big fan of this: "Tamper Protection only protects the Device Protection related components from being disabled or modified, it no longer protects all components of the product".

Also you can get Avira much cheaper than F-secure.

I hope they can change the tide.

Seems like they are doing all kinds of changes to the product anyway ik interested how much improvements there will be in a few years but for now I agree there are alternatives for cheap and some free

 

[Jonny Quest]

Too bad. It was a great product. I used it for 2 years but last year I didn't renew my license. I was not a big fan of the new UI and the integrated VPN solution. An now the product seems to go down hill. All the new thing are just UI renaming and revamping. The new features are Avira based.
Also not a big fan of this: "Tamper Protection only protects the Device Protection related components from being disabled or modified, it no longer protects all components of the product".

Also you can get Avira much cheaper than F-secure.

I hope they can change the tide.

I wasn't a fan of seeing that either, and wondered why not protect the whole app? Is it supposed to make it more efficient, what? It doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Sorrento]

I never did get 19.8, anyway bought & moved on to ESET & I'm sticking with it instead of doing AV/AM/VPN jumping which I've done far to often in the past as I suspect some other members have? - IMHO all is not well with F-Secure??

 

[simmerskool]

Too bad. It was a great product. I used it for 2 years but last year I didn't renew my license.

metoo

 

[Anthony Qian]

F-Secure has discontinued DeepGuard, one of its key technologies and selling points. This raises questions about whether F-Secure retains the ability to develop its own protective technologies or if it is shifting towards white-labeling Avira's technology.