Objective
To explain why upgrading PuTTY from version 0.78 or earlier to version 0.79 or higher leaves older versions installed, and how to automate the removal of legacy versions using Automox Worklets.
Problem / Issue
Beginning with PuTTY version 0.79, the vendor updated their Windows installer package (MSI/Executable) to fix a known bug. As a result of this change, installing PuTTY 0.79 or newer does not automatically uninstall PuTTY 0.78 or older versions.
This leads to the following behavior on managed endpoints:
Multiple versions of PuTTY coexist on the system simultaneously.
Vulnerability scanners may continue to flag the endpoint due to the presence of the legacy, unpatched version.
Software inventory tools show duplicate entries for PuTTY.
Solution
To resolve duplicate PuTTY installations across your environment, you can use either a manual approach for individual devices or an Automox Worklet for enterprise-wide remediation.
Option 1: Automated Removal Using an Automox Worklet (Recommended)
You can use the Automox Community Worklet "Uninstall All Apps Under a Specific Version" to automatically target and remove legacy PuTTY versions across your fleet:
Import or create the Uninstall All Apps Under a Specific Version Worklet in your Automox console.
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Configure the evaluation and remediation parameters for PuTTY:
Application Name:
PuTTYTarget Version Threshold:
< 0.79(or specifically target version0.78and below)
Scope the Worklet to the appropriate Device Groups and schedule execution.
Option 2: Manual Uninstallation
For individual endpoints, navigate to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps (or Control Panel > Programs and Features) on the Windows device and manually uninstall PuTTY 0.78 (or earlier versions).
Additional Resources
For more information on installer changes and bug fixes introduced in version 0.79, refer to the official PuTTY Release Notes.