Answer
When will the new Internet Explorer version be available through GFI LanGuard?
GFI LanGuard uses Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) for the publication of new versions of Internet Explorer and other Windows updates. WSUS is not the same as the Windows Update website that you can visit OR the Windows Update service (including Automatic Updates) that are installed on Windows Operating Systems. Updates available through Windows Updates may be different than the updates offered through WSUS.
New versions of Internet Explorer are generally available via direct download from Microsoft and through Windows Update a couple months before they are available through WSUS. For example, Internet Explorer 10 (IE10) was released for direct download and Windows Update on Jan 25, 2012. It was published in WSUS on Mar 26, 2012 (2 months later). Microsoft does not announce when the new versions will become available through WSUS.
Worried about Internet Explorer deploying without your knowledge?
This is a common situation. GFI LanGuard assists you in knowing when the new version is released in two ways:
In the Home Page (at the bottom in the Latest News section):
You can configure also LanGuard to send you an email when new updates are received (in Configuration > Alerting Options > Edit Alerting Options > Notifications tab, check the Send an email on new product news option):
Patch Auto-deployment options
When using Patch Auto-deployment, you can control which updates are approved for deployment in the Manual Approval tab and therefore control when the new version of Internet Explorer is released. You can also have GFI LanGuard email you the a list of new patches when they are added. This is different than the product news alert you can also configure above. To enable this email, go to Configuration > Patch Auto-Deployment > click Options and check the option to Send an email when new patches or service packs are available:
If you use Automatic Approval you can control / block Internet Explorer from being deployed by not checking the Update Rollups which includes the new versions of Internet Explorer:
In addition, if you are concerned with the Automatic Updates service that comes with Windows operating systems automatically installing Internet Explorer, Microsoft has toolkits to prevent this:
- Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 10
- Toolkit to Disable Automatic Delivery of Internet Explorer 11