Microsoft has finally released Microsoft Security Essentials anti-malware service after testing the free security suite dubbed Morro for long. In June, Microsoft revealed that the security suite would be available for public testing later.
Microsoft Security. Essentials is available for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 from here. This software is entirely free to download and requires no registration. Microsoft Security Essentials is said to be a refined version of Live OneCare services that were shut down in June. Subscription based Live OneCare service was discontinued by Microsoft on June 30 this year.
Microsoft Security Essentials is available in eight languages and 19 countries. Microsoft notes that Microsoft Security Essentials is an anti-malware program and should not be used while any other anti-virus program is still running on the PC. MSE is super set of Windows Defender since it gets deactivated on MSE's installation. This MSE program provides protection against rootkits, anti-virus, anti-spyware, and other malicious attack protection tools.
Once installed, the application studies suspicious programs and verifies it with a central server to see if it's a malware. Microsoft boasts of new Dynamic Signature Service that checks suspicious programs with latest database of virus definitions. Back in June, David Freer, Symantec's Asia Pacific and Japan Vice President Consumer Business, gave the Microsoft security product a rather harsh review, stating that Morro is essentially a stripped down version of Microsoft's failed OneCare product.
Usually Anti-virus suites come pre-installed through the PC makers or by the retailers. MSE, being a standalone product, won't be bundled with Windows OS and the decision to install it lies entirely on PC makers. Jens Meggers, vice president of engineering, Symantec said, "Microsoft has a really bad track record in security. Like OneCare, Security Essentials is a poor product." Microsoft's MSE team might be sharing high-fives on disturbing the competition to mock them. Essentially, this is free service for consumers against the subscription based options.
However, the ultimate decision is of the consumer that whether he wants to use paid-software or a free service for protection of system and data.
