Surfers should be well aware they must take their computer's security seriously, and with the majority of PCs running on Microsoft's Windows operating system, having an up-to-date copy is a necessity.

Keeping abreast of the latest Windows updates, however, and then having to wait while your PC downloads it is not a task to be relished - especially if it means interrupting what you're doing online, which is why AutoPatcher (www.autopatcher.com) seemed such a great idea. Unfortunately Microsoft didn't think so.

The free software is described by its creators as “an offline Windows update,” and cleverly boxes up administrative updates, patches and add-ons in a single download, saving time and bandwidth. As an alternative to using Microsoft's Window's Update, it offered a much faster patching process.

Apart from appealing to people, such as systems administrators, wanting to swiftly install updates to several Windows PCs, it won over security-conscious users by allowing them to install critical patches while offline, avoiding the risk of getting infected while using Windows Update and also helped those stuck on dial-up unable to get broadband.

Antonis Kaladis, project manager and lead developer, told Web User that the idea was conceived following the impact of the Blaster worm in 2003.

“Blaster was one of the most shocking worms to hit the Windows platform and security and patching became the number one priority. The idea that every Windows XP computer connected to the internet without being behind a properly configured firewall (which at the time meant most of the ordinary users with Windows XP Home) was infected within minutes, was absolutely terrifying,” said Kaladis.

“Getting the patch through Windows Update was a non-solution, since Windows Update required an internet connection - which of course meant getting infected and requiring a reboot count-down,” he added.

Kaladis estimates that AutoPatcher received over 100,000 downloads per month and after four years of hearing nothing from Microsoft, he says the company's objection “came as a surprise.”

On the site's Frequently Asked Questions section, the answer to “Is AutoPatcher legal?” is: “Yes, Antonis Kaladis once spoke to a Microsoft employee and apparently they know about us but don't care what we do! The AutoPatcher project has been going strong since 2003 and never had a sniff of trouble from Microsoft.”

But in summer Microsoft did start caring about AutoPatcher and got its legal team on the case.

Trouble brewing

A Take Down notice from Microsoft appeared on the site on 29 August complaining that the site was “offering unlicensed copies of, or is engaged in other unauthorised activities relating to copyrighted works published by Microsoft.”

The cease and desist notice, signed by Microsoft's internet investigator, warned the creators of AutoPatcher to take immediate action to remove access to the software to “prevent the illegal reproduction and distribution of this software via your company's network.”

In the face of Microsoft's big guns, Autopatcher's developers complied with the request. Now when you click on the Downloads section of the site you are greeted with an error message.

For part two of this article, visit www.webuser.co.uk/news/170806.html

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