Sophos AutoUpdate
What is Sophos AutoUpdate?
Sophos AutoUpdate is the updater program which runs with Windows (in the background as a service) and automatically starts up when your computer boots. It checks for updates and automatically downloads and installs them if found based on the user's settings. This is the AutoUpdate service, run as 'System User'.When the service first starts up it performs an update check to the CID.ALSvc.exe runs a scheduler that triggers scheduled updates. It provides an interface that allows an update to be started.
ALUpdate.exe is the file responsible for connecting to the network and downloading files. ALUpdate.exe runs during the update as the system user, but impersonates the local SophosSAU account. See the ‘Significant accounts/groups’section for more details on this user. When ALUpdate.exe is called, it runs with the following parameters: Alupdate.exe -ManualUpdate -NoGUI -RootPath"C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate"
ALMon.exe is a DCOM server ("dcomcnfg" - "DCOM Config" - "iMonitor"), which allows Sophos Anti-Virus to display virus alerts to the user desktop. It is launched from the ‘All Users’ Start-up menu (C:\documents andSettings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\AutoUpdate Monitor.lnk), and it runs as the logged on user name.
Overview
The most used version is 2.5.13, with over 98% of all installations currently using this version. Upon installation and setup, it defines an auto-start registry entry which makes this program run on each Windows boot for all user logins. It adds a background controller service that is set to automatically run. Delaying the start of this service is possible through the service manager. The main program executable is ALsvc.exe. The software installer includes 27 files and is usually about 8.55 MB (8,969,974 bytes). ALUpdate.exe is the automatic update component of the software designed to download and apply new updates should new versions be released.
Program details
URL: www.sophos.com/en-us/support/knowledgebase/36262.aspx
Help link: www.sophos.com/support
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\
Uninstaller: MsiExec.exe /X{15C418EB-7675-42BE-B2B3-281952DA014D}
(The Windows Installer is used for the installation, maintenance, and removal.)
Estimated size: 8.55 MB
Files installed by Sophos AutoUpdate
| Program executable: | ALsvc.exe |
| Name: | Windows Command Processor |
| Microsoft® Windows® Operating System |
| Path: | C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\ALsvc.exe |
| MD5: | 6d778e0f95447e6546553eeea709d03c |
| Command processor in windows is the command prompt(cmd).
To start Windows command processor use winkey + R this will open Run window.Just type in cmd and this will open command prompt of windows where you can run various commands.You can... |
Additional files:
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ALMon.exe - Sophos AutoUpdate (Sophos Endpoint Security and Control)
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ALsvc.exe - Sophos AutoUpdate Service.
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ALUpdate.exe - AutoUpdate synchronisation component module
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AUAdapter.dll - AutoUpdate management component module
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ChannelUpdater.dll - Sophos Channel Updater library
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cidsync.dll - Directory replicator for Sophos AutoUpdate
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config.dll - Sophos AutoUpdate configuration manager
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crypto.dll - Cryptographic library
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EECustomActions.dll - Sets AutoUpdate configuration during install
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inetconn.dll - Sophos AutoUpdate connection component
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InstlMgr.dll - Sophos AutoUpdate installation manager
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ispsheet.dll - Sophos AutoUpdate configuration pages loader
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Logger.dll - Sophos AutoUpdate logging component
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retailer.dll - Sophos SDDS client library
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SAUConfigDLL.dll - AutoUpdate configuration component module
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SingleGUIPlugin.dll - Component to show AutoUpdate's elements on the unified user interface
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swlocale.dll - Sophos AutoUpdate resource search order provider
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xmlcpp.dll - C++ XML wrapper
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libcurl.dll (by The cURL library, http://curl.haxx.se/) - The cURL library (libcurl Shared Library)
Behaviors exhibited
Service
- ALsvc.exe runs as a service named 'Sophos AutoUpdate Service' (Sophos AutoUpdate Service) "Part of the updating system for Sophos components".
Startup File (All Users Run)
- ALMon.exe is loaded in the all users (HKLM) registry as a startup file name 'Sophos AutoUpdate Monitor' which loads as C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\almon.exe.
Resource utilization averages
Show technical details
| ALsvc.exe |
| Memory: | 2.01 MB | |
| Total CPU: | 0.0003748695% | |
| Kernel CPU: | 0.00022683% | |
| User CPU: | 0.00014804% | |
| I/O reads/min: | 19 Bytes | |
| I/O writes/min: | 147 Bytes | |
| ALMon.exe |
| Memory: | 2.11 MB | |
| Total CPU: | 0.0015798165% | |
| Kernel CPU: | 0.00136963% | |
| User CPU: | 0.00021019% | |
How do I remove Sophos AutoUpdate?
You can uninstall Sophos AutoUpdate from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.
- On the Start menu (for Windows 8, right-click the screen's bottom-left corner), click Control Panel, and then, under Programs, do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall a Program.
- Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.
- When you find the program Sophos AutoUpdate, click it, and then do one of the following:
- Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall.
- Windows XP: Click the Remove or Change/Remove tab (to the right of the program).
- Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove Sophos AutoUpdate.
OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 52%
Win Vista 1%
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HOW IT STARTS
Automatically starts? Yes
(Found in the run registry)
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USER ACTIONS
 |
Uninstall it 4%
Keep it 96%
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Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
| Windows 7 |
55.45% |
|
| Windows XP |
21.82% |
|
| Windows Vista |
14.55% |
|
| Windows 10 |
8.18% |
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Which OS releases does it run on? |
| Windows 7 Professional |
25.45% |
|
| Microsoft Windows XP |
21.82% |
|
| Windows 7 Home Premium |
19.09% |
|
| Windows Vista Home Premiu... |
10.00% |
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| Windows 7 Ultimate |
4.55% |
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| Windows 7 Enterprise |
4.55% |
|
Geography
48.55% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
| United States |
48.55% |
| United Kingdom |
13.04% |
| Germany |
5.80% |
| France |
4.35% |
| Australia |
3.62% |
| Italy |
2.90% |
| India |
2.17% |
| New Zealand |
1.45% |
| Canada |
1.45% |
| Malaysia |
1.45% |
| China |
1.45% |
| Netherlands |
1.45% |
| Philippines |
1.45% |
| Argentina |
0.72% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
| Dell |
32.89% |
|
| Hewlett-Packard |
32.89% |
|
| Toshiba |
13.16% |
|
| Acer |
3.95% |
|
| ASUS |
3.95% |
|
| Sahara |
2.63% |
|
| Intel |
2.63% |
|
| Lenovo |
2.63% |
|
| GIGABYTE |
1.32% |
|
| Sony |
1.32% |
|
| Medion |
1.32% |
|
| American Megatrends |
1.32% |
|
Common models |
| Dell OptiPlex 780 |
3.06% |
|
| HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... |
3.06% |
|
| Dell Latitude E5400 |
2.04% |
|
| HP Pavilion dv6700 Notebo... |
2.04% |
|
| Dell Inspiron 1545 |
2.04% |
|
| HP EliteBook 6930p |
2.04% |
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About Sophos Limited
Sophos is a developer of security software and hardware, including anti-virus, anti-spam, anti-spyware, network access control and data loss prevention for desktops, servers, email systems and other network gateways.
Publisher URL: www.sophos.com