Frequent 'Update' prompts from 'CCleaner' & Bitdefender

[Old Sparky]

I have for some time had the free editions of both the above installed on this PC.  Bitdefender Free AntiVirus Program in particular frequently announces that it has 'updated to the latest edition - a restart is required', sometimes twice in one day, but CCleaner is also prone to announcing frequent updates.  My question; 'Is it  really necessary  to update these programs so often?

[Joe]

CCleaner only tells me about updates when I run it. As I'm quite happy with what I've got I decline them.

As I've said 'On the other side' I've got BitDefender on two PCs and they have never said anything about up-dates; they get the new definitions on boot automatically but that's all.

— Joe

Additional

I've just run CCleaner, a version from 2012, with no offer of an up-date. Here's why: Open it and click Options and then Settings.

Un-tick the boxes for 'Run CCleaner when computer starts' and 'Automatically check up-dates for CCleaner.'

If that's running every time your PC boots it may well be confusing BitDefender,

[ppppenguin]

The updates to an AV program are usually just the virus defintion files. These should update autoamtically and frequently to keep up with the real world.

[Old Sparky]

I've just realised why I find programs like CCleaner annoying. Last night i ran CCleaner as I hadn't done so for a while. When it finished I found that it had removed all my downloads and my 'cache' of regularly visited websites in Google Chrome. All because I forgot to check which boxes should be ticked/unticked. Bitdefender also keeps flagging a message that it has updated to the latest version, and, if I delete the message it flags up 'system is not protected' It also occurred to me that programs like 'Spycatcher' duplicate some, if not all of the facilities provided by CCleaner.

[ppppenguin]

IMHO, CCleaner and similar programs are unnecessary. If you use their registry cleanup options they can even be harmful. If your hard drive is so full that clearing the cache etc makes a significant difference then you need a bigger hard drive.

Run one and only one antivirus type program on your system. I use Avast free but I'm sure there are other decent ones out there. Running more than one at once will almost certainly give problems. As a secondary defence I run the free version of Malwarebytes every now and then. It sometimes picks up odd files that Avast has missed. These aren't usually really dangerous things, just "PUPs" or potentially unwanted programs.

Also run this occasionally to test how visible you are to certain types of online attack: https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?rh1dkyd2
If your PC is sitting behind any decent modem/router then it will find no problems.

[Old Sparky]

Clicking that link, Jeffrey, produces 'Shields-up', which tells me that my browsers reload function has been temporarily disabled for my security.

As to the various Anti-Virus and anti-malware programs, I'm getting one of the HP Compaq tower PCs being sold by 'unreal dave' so I'll leave things as they are on this machine for the time being. As you're no doubt aware, though, there are different opinions as to the usefulness or otherwise of things such as CCleaner and, at the moment I'm not sure where I stand on this issue.

[ppppenguin]

As we have deduced, your PC has many problems at the moment. I've certainly never seen that message when using Shields Up. The sooner you transfer on to that new PC the better.

[AlanBeckett]

Actually Jeffrey, that exactly what I get with your Link, and can see no way of getting any further.
Perhaps you could test it and possibly have another go.

Alan

[ppppenguin]

You're right, it does do that and I've no idea why. Go in though the home page: https://www.grc.com and navigate to the Shields Up test.

[Joe]

Likewise, Alan.

   

I have as little stuff on my computers as possible.  Some people may think this reckless but I take computer security as seriously as physical security:  I keep my doors locked and close windows if I'm going out but don't go to extremes like CCTV, window bars or guard dogs.

As I've said before, in five years of internet access the worst I've had are a few PUPs.  That's Fate well and truly tempted...

— Joe