Secunia offers free patch scanning tool

Vulnerability testing firm Secunia has released the beta version of a new tool that automatically checks the patch status of 4,200 applications.

Secunia Personal Software Inspector is an extension of the company's web based checker but will be much more powerful. The code sits on the computer and provides regular updates on any application that needs to be patched.

"It is very similar to our network software inspector and lot of code from that is reused," said Thomas Kristensen, co-founder of Secunia.

"We expect beta testing to take a month or two but it depends on the feedback we get. If it takes three to four months to complete that's OK; we just want to make sure we've got great code."

Kristensen claimed that, while most users are now pretty good at patching Microsoft code, other applications receive a lot less attention.

Around 40 per cent of visitors to Secunia's website, who would be expected to be technologically savvy, still have not patched against the latest Flash vulnerability, for example.

The code will be given away to individuals after beta testing is complete. The company is also in discussions with security and antivirus software vendors about licensing the code.