Digital Prank

Microsoft today released Microsoft Security Essentials anti-malware service after a long wait completing its testing. The software is completely free and provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.

Microsoft Security Essentials is said to be a refined version of Live OneCare services that were shut down in June. The software is free as I said earlier and is available for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Microsoft has released the software in 8 different languages and is available for 19 countries.

I uninstalled my anti-virus software and have installed Microsoft Security Essentials to do some testing and to write a review later. The software looks pretty simple with nice and easy to use interface. I even tried to introducing virus to check the credibility of the software and it worked. It has to doesn’t it?

Microsoft claims that it is using Dynamic Signature Service that checks suspicious programs with latest database of virus definitions to find suspicious programs. Microsoft also decided not to bundle the software with OS and its all up to the windows users to download and use it if they really want a free and effective anti-virus solution. The software cannot be installed on pirated copies of Windows versions as it does Windows Genuine Check before it gets installed.

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.