Free Anti-Virus Nearly Here -- Redmondmag.com

Barney's Blog

Free Anti-Virus Nearly Here

When Microsoft entered the anti-virus market, I knocked it for competing against the partners that saved Windows in the first place, and also sold something that should be part of the OS, anyway (the same way seat belts are part of our cars).

Now that Microsoft is on the verge of launching a free anti-virus tool, I have nothing bad to say. Microsoft Security Essentials will be ready for testing tomorrow. Just make sure you have a legit copy of Windows; otherwise, you're out of luck.

I'm optimistic about this software. While clearly not enterprise-class, Security Essentials could be great for netbooks. And even though OneCare was a bust, I've had good luck with the Microsoft anti-virus scanning tool that's similar to Trend Micro's HouseCall (though I can't seem to find it anymore) and Redmond's anti-malware.

Posted by Doug Barney on 06/22/2009 at 1:16 PM

Featured

Choosing the Right SSID for Your Network

Attracting attention, whether through a default or funny Wi-Fi name, could lead to a security issue.
Microsoft Outlines Latest Security Efforts at Ignite

In the wake of last year's CrowdStrike incident, Microsoft has worked to publicly rehabilitate its security image through new initiatives and public commitments to improve. That push continued this week at Ignite, where Microsoft announced a handful of new security tools and updates.
Nadella on Copilot: 'Major Platform Shifts Are in the Air'

As should be no surprise, Copilot took center stage during Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's keynote speech to open Microsoft Ignite 2024.
Azure AI Foundry Revealed at Microsoft Ignite

Microsoft is consolidating its Azure generative AI tools into a unified platform named Azure AI Foundry.
Microsoft Bolsters Fabric at Ignite

While Fabric has improved in the year since its release, there are still some glaring issues with the platform.