Microsofts excellent free antivirus released today, MSE

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:28 pm

Microsoft Security Essentials, BETA was out mid summer, officially released today.

http://www.microsoft.com/Security_essentials/

It's a VERY good antivirus product, I've been using the BETA for months now in cleaning up infested computers, it's doing a very good job at getting current malware threats, and it will only get better.

Free, free updates, should remain nag free, lightweight on your system too.

So far the best free antivirus has been AntiVir...very lightweight and excellent in detection. But some people find the interface a bit complicated, and they don't like the advertisements of the free version.

In my experience in cleaning infected computers, and in reading various other AV comparison articles, MSE is nearly as good in detection...and it's fast getting better with their SkyNet cloud technology.

For most people who use a free antivirus....I strongly recommend you consider this product.

JawZ · Post by **JawZ** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:01 pm

I've said it before and I'll say it again...recently, Microsoft just keeps hitting the ball out of the park.

jeremyboycool · Post by **jeremyboycool** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:04 pm

Thanks for the head-ups Mr. Cat.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:06 pm

JawZ wrote:I've said it before and I'll say it again...recently, Microsoft just keeps hitting the ball out of the park.

Yeah, got some cool things of late.
Windows 7 is darned good
Next version of Office will have a free version.
I read earlier this week that Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation...last year he gave over 4 BILLION to US school systems.

Easto · Post by **Easto** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:11 pm

I'm getting ready for a OS reinstall soon. I'll give it a try until then.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:53 pm

Thanks B. I will add it to my PC. My lappy died and I never got back on with NOD32.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:57 pm

I copied and pasted it to the other forum (cooking) and gave you credit for the write up.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:02 pm

Lefty wrote:I copied and pasted it to the other forum (cooking) and gave you credit for the write up.

//raises a glass of 3Olives

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 4:13 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote://raises a glass of 3Olives

I still have some. I will drink one too.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:00 pm

so should i switch from free aviria ?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 5:24 pm

Mark wrote:so should i switch from free aviria ?

6 of 1, half a dozen of the other.
If you like Aviras interface...and either don't mind the ads, or you disabled the ads....and it runs well on your rig, I'd say stick with it. It has a longtime proven top notch detection.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 6:37 pm

Zing!

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:02 pm

I know it just came out today but I am just curious if anyone knows if this apps will update more than 1 time a day? If so, will it d/l and install by itself like other programs do?

thx

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:32 pm

Tried the beta and the one thing that made me kind of wary was a disclaimer that you couldn't opt out of having it call home when it found a virus or trojan.

Made me question it enough to uninstall it.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:42 pm

Humboldt wrote:Tried the beta and the one thing that made me kind of wary was a disclaimer that you couldn't opt out of having it call home when it found a virus or trojan.

Made me question it enough to uninstall it.

That's a good thing, it's called "cloud technology". It helps the developers learn more about threats. Quite a few other antivirus brands are doing this.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:44 pm

24giovanni wrote:I know it just came out today but I am just curious if anyone knows if this apps will update more than 1 time a day? If so, will it d/l and install by itself like other programs do?

thx

Right from their main page
http://www.microsoft.com/Security_essentials/
"Automatic updates"
Yup it updates more than once a day...the days of an antivirus updating once a day or just a few times a week are long gone.

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 7:56 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Right from their main page
http://www.microsoft.com/Security_essentials/
"Automatic updates"
Yup it updates more than once a day...the days of an antivirus updating once a day or just a few times a week are long gone.

thx for that Cat. Appreciate it.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:02 pm

Updated to the final version.

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:08 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Right from their main page
http://www.microsoft.com/Security_essentials/
"Automatic updates"
Yup it updates more than once a day...the days of an antivirus updating once a day or just a few times a week are long gone.

Actually, not sure how true "automatic updates" is. I just looked at the current file time and it said around 1:24 AM of this update. I then clicked update and it loaded a file of 9:13 AM.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:09 pm

CableDude wrote:Updated to the final version.

Yup, my BETA popped right up today with "Update Available"...I clicked it...and a few seconds later...

"Microsoft Security Essentials Version: 1.0.1611.0
Antimalware Client Version: 2.0.6212.0
Engine Version: 1.1.5101.0
Antivirus definitions: 1.67.178.0
Antispyware definitions: 1.67.178.0"

Humboldt · Post by **Humboldt** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:34 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:That's a good thing, it's called "cloud technology". It helps the developers learn more about threats. Quite a few other antivirus brands are doing this.

Good for the success rate of the product, yes.

The fact I couldn't opt out of it sending information about my computer, no.

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:35 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:Yup, my BETA popped right up today with "Update Available"...I clicked it...and a few seconds later...

"Microsoft Security Essentials Version: 1.0.1611.0
Antimalware Client Version: 2.0.6212.0
Engine Version: 1.1.5101.0
Antivirus definitions: 1.67.178.0
Antispyware definitions: 1.67.178.0"

Manually hit update now and I bet your A/V will change to 1.67.188.0. So much for "auto updates".

Microsoft Security Essentials Version: 1.0.1611.0
Antimalware Client Version: 2.0.6212.0
Engine Version: 1.1.5101.0
Antivirus definitions: 1.67.188.0
Antispyware definitions: 1.67.188.0

Over at MSE forums, it will be done once a day unless you manually do which is crap if you ask me.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 8:46 pm

24giovanni wrote:Manually hit update now and I bet your A/V will change to 1.67.188.0. So much for "auto updates".

Over at MSE forums, it will be done once a day unless you manually do which is crap if you ask me.

Many vendors make new definitions available for download at various times throughout the day, say they upload a new set at 1pm. Say your antivirus program is set to check for updates every 4 hours...and it last checked at 12pm. So it won't auto download the definitions until 4pm, but if you click the update button at 2pm the new defs will download.

I recall reading that 3 or 5 checks per day somewhere. BUT...don't forget, MSE works on cloud technology. This makes update frequency of definitions less important. If it comes across a file it doesn't recognize a pattern for, instead of going to check against definitions, it will "ask the cloud" for immediate feedback. This gives an advantage over the limits of definition rulesets only, however a disadvantage is slower scanning speed.

Heuristics and Cloud technology are superior to old definition rulesets, and are the wave of the future of AV.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Tue Sep 29, 2009 9:34 pm

Ever mess with Forefront, YOSC?

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 8:37 am

I like Symantec's new product Symantec Endpoint Protection. Thumbs up, works very well and now incorporates antispyware.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 9:37 am

CableDude wrote:Ever mess with Forefront, YOSC?

Not in depth, fiddled with from MAPS or whatever we got it from, considering getting to know it better and starting to use in the corp environment. Not jumping off the Eset train yet for that area though.

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 11:50 am

Rainbow wrote:Symantec...works very well

An epic oxymoron.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:14 pm

Burke wrote:An epic oxymoron.

Actually the funny part is, since Symantec totally re-wrote their products from the ground up last year, they've drastically improved.

Symantecs detection has been good for a while now, but as most people know..over the past several years their products have been getting bloated and bloated, gaining a reputation of making any computer feel like a Pentium 75 w/24 megs trying to run Vista.

Starting with last years product, totally redone from top to bottom, VERY lightweight now. Their AV product uses only 8 megs of RAM!!! You'll be hard pressed to find any other good AV product that uses less than 10 megs of RAM. Pulse updates every 15 minutes.

I've been a basher of their products for years now, but not for now..they've gotten pretty good.

I haven't tried their Corp Edition products in 2 years...so I don't know if their new lightweight product as rippled down into their corp products yet.

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:13 pm

Antivirus.....I don't need no stinking Antivirus. I'm SGT. Nick Penis from the Brass Balls Battalion. We don't even need chutes when jumping from planes, were tough.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:13 pm

That's what I use is the corporate edition especially since I get it for free

It works well, lightweight and is getting great write ups.
So all you Symantec bashers can chill for a while

mountainman · Post by **mountainman** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 1:36 pm

Sounds great! Thanks, Cat.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Wed Sep 30, 2009 7:47 pm

Death to Sophos!!!

Ronny · Post by **Ronny** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 7:12 am

thanks for the info cat.i just downloaded it and i like the control panel,simple to use.
i may not renew my eset after fully checking this out.

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Thu Oct 01, 2009 8:45 pm

The shock is beyond my ability to express!

tHE_0ne · Post by **tHE_0ne** » Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:25 am

thanks for sharing !

Brk · Post by **Brk** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 6:51 pm

I am currently putting this on all our machines, but why is the update download so slow? It's weird.

24giovanni · Post by **24giovanni** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:59 pm

It already stopped 2 viruses on my machine. I am satisfied with it.

Shinobi · Post by **Shinobi** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:37 pm

Does MSE have the ability to send a email alert, if a virus is found?

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:00 pm

Shinobi wrote:Does MSE have the ability to send a email alert, if a virus is found?

no

Shinobi · Post by **Shinobi** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:16 pm

TonyT wrote:no

Ok, Thanks.