[KB8271] What are the different ESET product update and release types? (Business users)

Issue 

• Keep your ESET security products updated to protect your servers, endpoints and network from malware
• ESET products use a modular design that enables new and updated versions, features and detection modules to be added at any time
• The following list shows the different update and release options for ESET business products
  • Feature updates
  • Servicing updates
  • Module updates
  • Repacked builds
  • Security and stability hotfixes
  • Micro Program Component Update (uPCU)
  • Auto-updates

Solution

Are you a Home user?

ESET continuously works to improve core functionality, enhance the user experience, add new features and resolve customer feedback by releasing new product versions. Refer to the ESET End of Life Policy for Business products to review policy-related definitions, versioning rules, support levels, and operating system compatibility support information. 

To receive ESET product changelog and known issues information, subscribe to the ESET Support News RSS Newsletter. 

Feature updates

• Required or optional: Opt-out possible
• Frequency: Three times a year (on average, per product)
• Changelog posted: Yes
• Known Issues posted: Yes

Feature updates consist of major and minor version releases and are released as a Micro Program Component Update (uPCU) or an Auto-update. Feature updates introduce significant improvements, new feature additions and major changes to the product user interface or core technologies. Feature updates may also indicate operating system or software requirements changes. ESET product support levels and lifecycles are always linked to a Feature update. 

Servicing updates

• Required or optional: Opt-out possible, except for required security patches
• Frequency: As needed
• Changelog posted: Yes
• Known Issues posted: Yes

Servicing updates consist of build and patch version releases and are released as a Micro Program Component Update (uPCU) or an Auto-update. Servicing updates provide fixes and improvements that are essential for security and stability. These updates do not add or remove functionality; they only fix or improve existing features.

Module updates

• Required or optional: Required
• Frequency: Often, as needed
• Changelog posted: No
• Known Issues posted: No

Your ESET product checks for new components, including product modules and Detection Engine updates, many times each day. Along with our other multilayered technologies (such as Machine learning, DNA detection, behavioral detection and blocking), regular module updates help protect you against the latest known threats.

To verify that the latest product modules and Detection Engine updates have been received, you can manually check for latest product updates.

You can view the changelog history for these updates on the Virus Radar Update Info page.

Repacked builds

• Required or optional: Optional
• Frequency: Rare
• Changelog posted: No
• Known Issues posted: No

Sometimes ESET must react to emerging security issues by replacing a live product version with a repacked build. The purpose of a build repack is to include new configuration modules (CE) in the installation packages available on the download pages and ESET PROTECT repositories.

ESET products with up-to-date modules do not require repacked build updates. 

Security and stability hotfixes

• Required or optional: Required
• Frequency: Rare
• Changelog posted: No
• Known Issues posted: Optional

ESET uses Security and Stability Hotfixes to address critical issues and ensure the maximum security and stability of your ESET product. The timing of hotfixes is determined entirely by their security impact. You cannot disable Security and Stability Hotfixes.

Micro Program Component Updates (uPCU)