 | |
| |
| 21 Nov 2010 | #1 |
| | What’s worse than paid for antivirus? Free AV Quote: Recently, Microsoft started packaging its free antivirus software Microsoft Security Essentials with its Windows Update service. This is a smart move, right? Users who don’t have any A/V protection would now have something and therefore they could reduce their vulnerability footprint. The Malicious Software Removal Tool is also free but it is not real time; MSE is real time. Hopefully, this move by Microsoft should help reduce the amount of malware infected computers out there and decrease the amount of cybercrime out there by denying malicious actors access to free resources. Who could protest that? As it turns out, PandaLabs and Trend Micro don’t like it. From an IT News article: Two antivirus vendors have criticised Microsoft over its decision to push out its free anti-virus (AV), Security Essentials, under its Microsoft Update service. Microsoft began offering Security Essentials as a free program in late 2009, which drew little objection from AV vendors, however its decision to push it to customers in the US and UK during the past fortnight has triggered claims the process is anti-competitive. "We think this is not fair," PandaLabs technical director Luis Corrons told UK technology news site, ITPro. He added that the ubiquitous distribution of Microsoft's anti-virus would make it easier for criminals to develop malware that bypasses the blacklist. The company wants Microsoft to continue pushing antivirus to Windows users, including illegitimate copy owners, but also include other AV programs in the update. A Trend Micro executive raised similar concerns last week after the UK launch in late October. |
My System Specs | |
| 22 Nov 2010 | #2 |
| | If other companies are concerned that Microsoft is violating anti-trust laws by offering free Microsoft products to people running Microsoft operating systems, they have at least two options: 1. Market their own products more aggressively and concentrate on telling people why their paid product is better than free MSE. 2. Develop their own free product to compete with MSE. |
| My System Specs |
| 22 Nov 2010 | #3 |
| | Its important to note that MSE shows up in Windows Updates only under two conditions - one, if you don’t have any antivirus program installed and two, if the antivirus program doesn’t communicate with Windows. In other words if you already have an antivirus program installed (and even if it is out of date), you wont see MSE in Windows Update. |
| My System Specs |
| . |
| |
| 22 Nov 2010 | #4 |
| | Also the MSRT (Malicious Software Removal Tool) is not intended to replace an AV from whichever vendor you use, free or paid for. It is downloaded and run automatically with the main monthly MS updates, and its main purpose is to ensure that no infections or problems exist which may hamper the download and installation of the updates. |
| My System Specs |
| 22 Nov 2010 | #5 |
| | I've read in past, articles that stated MS was "lax" on the war against viruses. Now that they're not, suddenly there's a problem. As Dwarf stated, it says right at the start of the program that MSRT is not intended as a replacement for an AV. It's a good possibility that when MS started offering MSE, a lot of vendors thought "this isn't going to fly". Then it started getting high marks and all of a sudden, they got worried. No matter what, the fact remains, MSE is doing it's job in preventing the spread of viruses. What you choose to run is your choice, but ANY effort toward curbing the spread of viruses should be applauded. As far as I know, you have a choice of if you want to install MSE or not. (It's been on my sys for quite some time) But, the fact that it "plays well" with other AV's, from what I've garnered from other posts, should make it a logical choice to run in the background, being that any additional layer of protection you can get shouldn't be dismissed. |
| My System Specs |
 |
What’s worse than paid for antivirus? Free AV problems?
« MS security tool interferes with Chrome and Adobe updates
|
Tools and methods to track down suspect IP addresses »
| Thread Tools | |
| Similar help and support threads for: What’s worse than paid for antivirus? Free AV | ||||
| Thread | Forum | |||
| AVG Adds Do Not Track Feature to Free and Paid Antivirus Software | Security News | |||
| Free vs. Fee: Free and Paid Antivirus Programs Compared | Security News | |||
| Microsoft vs. McAfee: How free antivirus outperformed paid | Security News | |||
| Antivirus: Free vs. Paid Detection | System Security | |||
| Antivirus: Free vs. Paid Detection | System Security | |||
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:55 AM.
