Secure Endpoint Agent release notes - Version 7.3

If automatic agent updates are disabled, you can assign an agent version to your account's Windows and Mac devices to prevent agent upgrades. To determine if you want to assign agent version 7.3, review this topic to learn about the features, enhancements, and fixes supported in version 7.3 of the Secure Endpoint Agent.

About the Secure Endpoint Agent

The Secure Endpoint Agent is a small software client that resides on devices that are managed in the Secure Endpoint Console. After the agent is initially installed on a new device, the agent is activated with the first connection to the Absolute Monitoring Center.

Each agent package includes software specific to its supported operating system, including the agent and its associated components, an installer, and a readme file.

System requirements

The 7.3 package bundle contains Secure Endpoint Agent software that supports devices running the following operating systems:

Operating system Supported versions
Windows Versions 7, 8, 8.1, and 10
macOS Versions 10.9 to 10.13

Features supported in this agent version

In addition to the features supported in version 7.2.2, the Secure Endpoint Agent now supports the following features and functionality:

Depending on the Absolute licenses assigned to your account, some features and functionality may not be available.

Platform Supported features and functionality
Windows and Mac

  • The Secure Endpoint Agent now supports the collection of Personal Health Information (PHI) for EU countries using the following custom Endpoint Data Discovery (EDD) rule templates:

    • Taxpayer ID Number (Germany)
    • Social Security Number (Germany)
    • Social Security Number (France)
    • Personal ID Number (Estonia)
    • Personal ID Number (Finland)
    • Personal ID Number (Norway)
    • Personal ID Number (Sweden)
    • Civil Registration System (Denmark)
    • DNI Number (Spain)
    • Tax Code ID (Italy)

    In addition, the following templates are enhanced:

    • National Health Service (UK)
    • National Insurance Number (UK)

  • The following operators are supported in custom EDD Rules:

    • @UK_NINO
    • @FR_NIR
    • @UK_NINO
    • @FR_NIR
    • @DE_SSN
    • @DE_IDNR
    • @SE_PIN
    • @UK_NHS
    • @NO_FNR
    • @EE_IK
    • @DK_CPR
    • @FI_HETU
    • @IT_CF
    • @ES_DNI

    For more information about using these operators in a custom EDD rule, see Expression syntax guidelines.

  • The Secure Endpoint Agent supports a new Endpoint Data Discovery scan level. When the Extended scan level option is selected, virtually all Internet Media Types in all directories, with a few exceptions (some system directories are excluded) are scanned. Note that Extended scans tend to take more time and resources to complete than the other options, and they may significantly increase the number of false positives.
Windows only
  • For devices with an activated Application Persistence policy, you can now specify the application version that you expect to be running on the device. If the Secure Endpoint Agent detects a different version, a status of Not Compliant shows in Application Persistence reports and widgets.

  • For the following third party applications, if you select the Report, repair and reinstall option in Application Persistence policy configurations, you can now configure both a 32-bit installer and a 64-bit installer:

    • ESET® Endpoint Antivirus
    • Microsoft BitLocker® Drive Encryption
    • Pulse Connect Secure
    • WinMagic SecureDoc™

    When an application needs to be reinstalled on a device, the Secure Endpoint Agent automatically downloads the appropriate installer for its operating system.
Mac only
  • N/A

Agent improvements and fixes

In addition to the base features supported in this agent version, the following fixes and improvements to the agent were introduced in this agent version:

Platform Fixes and improvements
Windows and Mac
  • Hardware data collection has been optimized. When a hardware scan runs on a device, its impact on the device's CPU usage is now reduced significantly.
  • An issue has been resolved where hardware scan results were occasionally malformed. Previously, this issue led to a loss of hardware data.
Windows
  • If a file is moved after a full EDD scan, the file is now reported in its new location during the subsequent delta scan.
  • The Secure Endpoint Agent now detects Microsoft BitLocker Drive Encryption on devices running the Windows 10 Education N operating system.
  • When you activate the Endpoint Data Discovery (EDD) policy for a Windows device, under no circumstances does an Absolute Software Endpoint Agent error message show on the device when the EDD component of the Secure Endpoint Agent is installed.

  • The Secure Endpoint Agent now detects the following Full-Disk Encryption products if they are installed on a device:

    • Dell Encryption version 8.17 or 8.18
    • Microsoft BitLocker, when it is installed on a device running Windows 10 Pro for Workstations (64 bit)
    • Trend Micro Encryption Management for Microsoft BitLocker
  • If HP Drive Encryption 8 is installed on a device, the Secure Endpoint Agent now correctly detects the device's encryption status.
  • If you are using McAfee Drive Encryption 7.x on your devices to detect the encryption status of Opal drives, the encrypted drives are now reported as encrypted.
Mac
  • When the EDD component finds a match on a device in a GZIP (.gz) file, the File Type is now reported correctly in EDD reports as application/x-gzip, instead of incorrectly as application/msword.