System updates

The macOS system updates feature is an important component designed to protect users from malicious software. For maximum security, we recommend that you install these updates as soon as they become available. ESET Endpoint Security for macOS will notify you about missing updates according to level of importance. You can adjust the level of update importance for which notifications are displayed in Setup > Enter application preferences > Alerts and notifications > Setup using the Display Conditions drop-down menu next to Operating system updates.

 

Show all updates – a notification will be displayed any time that a system update is missing

Show only recommended – you will be notified about recommended updates only

 

If you do not want to be notified about missing updates, deselect the check box next to Operating system updates.

 

The notification window provides an overview of the updates available for the macOS operating system and the applications updated through the macOS native tool – Software updates. You can run the update directly from the notification window or from the Home section of ESET Endpoint Security for macOS by clicking Install the missing update.

 

The notification window contains the application name, version, size, properties (flags) and additional information about available updates. The Flags column contains the following information:

 

[recommended] – the operating system manufacturer recommends that you install this update to increase the security and stability of the system

[restart] – a computer restart is required on following installation

[shutdown] – the computer must be shut down and then powered back on following installation

 

The notification window shows the updates retrieved by the command line tool called 'softwareupdate'. Updates retrieved by this tool can vary from the updates displayed by the 'Software updates' application. If you want to install all available updates displayed in the 'Missing system updates' window and also those not displayed by the 'Software updates' application, you have to use the 'softwareupdate' command line tool. To learn more about this tool, read the 'softwareupdate' manual by typing man softwareupdate into a Terminal window. This is recommended for advanced users only.