New Beta of Microsoft Security Essentials Released

Microsoft has released the latest beta of its free antivirus software, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE).

The release is called a "beta" yet again, even though it was a beta back in June 2009 and September 2009. The security software only works on "genuine" Windows systems and can be downloaded at the Microsoft Connect portal here. (It requires registration.)

The MSE beta has a new feature that sweeps the network called the "network inspection system," according to Microsoft's announcement. It also includes firewall integration and enhanced protection against Internet-borne exploits. The enhanced protection feature supports newer versions of Internet Explorer, providing additional protection from Web attacks. With the firewall integration, users now have the option to turn Windows firewall on or off.

"This is good news for consumers; bad news for McAfee and Symantec," said Phil Lieberman, president of Lieberman Software. "Since most consumers do not buy antivirus and antimalware software, this is a great example of Microsoft stepping up as a responsible corporate citizen by providing some basic free protection for those consumers that simply can't or won't buy protection. Layering this technology over Windows 7 creates a much more secure Internet for everyone."

The beta comes with one catch. Windows XP users won't be able to take advantage of the network inspection system feature. Microsoft explained that this feature "will not be enabled on Windows XP because the network inspection system requires the Windows Filtering Platform in order to run." The Windows Filtering Platform is only available in Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Time will tell whether improvements in MSE will lead to computer makers preloading the software on PCs instead of commercial antimalware products. For now, MSE is still a consumer product in its nascent stages. It's not designed for enterprise use since it lacks management capabilities.

According to Microsoft's requirements page, MSE can run on the following operating systems: Windows XP Service Pack 2 or SP3; Windows Vista Gold, SP1, or SP2; and Windows 7. While some people still may be using Windows XP SP2, this operating system no longer gets security updates from Microsoft as of July 13.

About the Author

Jabulani Leffall is an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in the Financial Times of London, Investor's Business Daily, The Economist and CFO Magazine, among others.

Featured

  • blue AI cloud connected to circuit lines, a server stack, and a shield with a padlock icon

    Report: AI Security Controls Lag Behind Adoption of AI Cloud Services

    According to a recent report from cybersecurity firm Wiz, nearly nine out of 10 organizations are already using AI services in the cloud — but fewer than one in seven have implemented AI-specific security controls.

  • stacks of glowing digital documents with circuit patterns and data streams

    Mistral AI Intros Advanced AI-Powered OCR

    French AI startup Mistral AI has announced Mistral OCR, an advanced optical character recognition (OCR) API designed to convert printed and scanned documents into digital files with "unprecedented accuracy."

  • robot waving

    Copilot Updates Aim to Personalize AI

    Microsoft has introduced a range of updates to its Copilot platform, marking a new phase in its effort to deliver what it calls a "true AI companion" that adapts to individual users' needs, preferences and routines.

  • teenager interacts with a chatbot on a computer screen

    Character.AI Rolls Out New Parental Insights Feature Amid Safety Concerns

    Chatbot platform Character.AI has introduced a new Parental Insights feature aimed at giving parents a window into their children's activity on the platform. The feature allows users under 18 to share a weekly report of their chatbot interactions directly with a parent's e-mail address.