September 29th, 2009

Microsoft Security Essentials available today

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 7:15 am

Categories: Security

Tags: Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Security Essentials, Backups, Cyberthreats, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Security, Viruses And Worms, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Microsoft has confirmed that it is releasing Microsoft Security Essentials, its free anti-malware product, today (September 29). The cut-down, basic anti-malware solution replaces Microsoft’s Windows Live OneCare.

The Microsoft Security Essentials is a freeware application which provides the user with protection against malware. It’s important to bear in mind that while Microsoft Security Essentials is a replacement for OneCare, Microsoft Security Essentials does not come with a software firewall, data backup facility or troubleshooting tools. Instead, Microsoft Security Essentials focuses only on offering anti-malware and anti-rootkit functionality.

“In November 2008, Microsoft announced plans to deliver a new no-cost anti-malware solution—code-named Morro—to consumers in the second half of calendar year 2009. By providing this core anti-malware solution to consumers at no cost … Microsoft [is able] to better address the security needs created by smaller PC form factors, explosive growth of PCs in emerging markets and rapid increases in the incidence of global malware, and … remove some of the barriers that stand in the way of consumers having quality anti-malware protection.”

According to Microsoft, Security Essentials is “the first Microsoft security product to make use of the company’s new Dynamic Signature Service, a technology that helps ensure [that] users stay protected by the most current virus definitions available without having to wait for the next scheduled download.”

Note: For the record, the final build of Microsoft Security Essentials is 1.0.1611.0.

Microsoft Security Essentials will be available in eight languages and 19 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States.