diff --git a/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/update/StandardUpdate.java b/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/update/StandardUpdate.java
index c99bc6351..fc84b9ede 100644
--- a/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/update/StandardUpdate.java
+++ b/dependency-check-core/src/main/java/org/owasp/dependencycheck/data/update/StandardUpdate.java
@@ -343,18 +343,6 @@ public class StandardUpdate {
         return updates;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Deletes the existing data directories.
-     *
-     * @throws IOException thrown if the directory cannot be deleted
-     */
-    protected void deleteExistingData() throws IOException {
-        File data = Settings.getDataFile(Settings.KEYS.CVE_DATA_DIRECTORY);
-        if (data.exists()) {
-            FileUtils.delete(data);
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Closes the CVE and CPE data stores.
      */