I have two machines here with identical W7 Ultimate X64 installations. Once machine has been automatically installing the latest Windows Update Agent Engine - Version 7.6.7600.320. The other machine is not automatically updating to the latest WUA Engine - and uses the previous Windows Update Agent Engine - Version 7.6.7600.256.
I have a clean Symantec System Restore Image of the machine which gets automatically updated to WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.320. This allows me to revert that machine as desired - in order to test interactions which occur once the Engine has been updated.
I have discovered the following incompatibilities:
1. If the WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.320 is in place before installing the August 2014 Patch Tuesday updates, the Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2976627) fails to install correctly. The download spontaneously aborts - which leaves an item in the Reliability History showing the update failed to install correctly - as well as an item in the WU History also showing this update as "failed".
2. Reverting to an SSR System Image of that machine which has the older WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.256 in place - with no other changes - allows the KB2976627 update to process normally. The entire August Patch Tuesday set installs without error.
3. If the WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.320 is in place and NIS 2012 Version 19.9.1.14 is in place - with the Norton Toolbar active in Internet Explorer 11.0.9600.17239 - there is a problem when going to Google and putting in a search request. With the results page open - when clicking on a Google result - the first result found will display for any Google result clicked on the Google result page.
4. Reverting to an SSR System Image of that machine which has the WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.256 in place - with no other changes - allows each Google result page to display normally when its particular entry is clicked.
Checking the KB2976627 page indicates this Cumulative Security Update causes spontaneous crashes for some people - if add-on toolbars are present when the update is installed. Microsoft is aware of the problem - there is currently no proper Microsoft-supplied fix for the situation.
The above implies a security improvement inherent in the WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.320 renders the Norton Toolbar in NIS 2012 Version 19.9.1.14 incompatible with Internet Explorer 11.0.9700.17239 - when KB2976627 is installed under WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.256.
Currently, the only way to retain the desired workability on a system which automatically updates to WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.320 - is to restore an SSR Image from before the installation of the WUA Engine Version 7.6.7600.320 - and bring that machine back up-to-date with all the changes incurred since that SSR image was made. Needless to say, this is a complete PITA.
Since Microsoft is bound and determined to force the 7.6.7600.320 WUA Engine into the mainstream over the next month or so, this compatibility issue with the KB2976627 update to IE11 needs to be addressed.
Please note that I am utterly uninterested in hearing about the wonderfulness of NIS Versions subsequent to NIS 2012 (V19). The issues with Local Vault and the display of Identity Safe items in later versions have not been dealt with to my satisfaction - and I have no intention of upgrading until these issues are addressed.
Please fix NIS 2012.