Mashable - The Social Media Guide - Latest Comments in Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

AA — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:29:54 -0000

I uninstalled the sucker, it would hang my machine at the startup. I'm fine with Free Avast and Free Spywareblaster.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Gloria Rubaine — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:10:46 -0000

It's about time they did this. Their products are so expensive.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

English Dubbed Anime — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:03:21 -0000

ugh, if it's Microsoft, it's crap.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Pat — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:39:20 -0000

Microsoft doesn't give you an equivalent of either LinkScanner or AVG Identity Protection. Since viruses are now less than 5% of the malware problem, anyone choosing the Microsoft solution would be well advised to add these solutions on top of it to take care of drivebys, zero-days, and new/unknown malware.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Mark — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:02:16 -0000

I'm still using AVG Free...would take quite a bit for me to make the switch, though!

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Mendell — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:32:27 -0000

This is exactly how I feel about MS's new antivirus: http://www.wastedcarbon.com...

I couldn't be more skeptical of MS software.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Jorial — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:13:17 -0000

Is April Fools at the end of September now?

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Michael Hart — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 06:56:35 -0000

I love ESET Smart Security. Very affordable, and very low performance demands. On a quad-core PC, it's uses 2% of core 3 while doing idle scanning. 22MB of ram currently (out of 4GB available), so it's not hogging that either.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

cd rohlinge — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:43:27 -0000

I love it how Microsoft probably won't be allowed to release this, despite it actually helping consumers. The EU will have a field day if they release it in Europe.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Sir Marky — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:18:52 -0000

Correction: Linux doesn't need anti virus software for its own sake, but if you're on a network with Windows machines it's best to scan your files to prevent infected documents being passed on. More than once AV on Linux and Macs's has protected Windows machines in the network. ClamAV is a very decent product for Linux.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Miguel — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:15:35 -0000

I don't believe in antivirus programs, am running Vista and browse with Chrome, my PC is as fast as when I bought it.

It's good that Microsoft offers a free alternative, and they should if they want less people flocking to Apple for security reasons.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Christina Warren — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:35:55 -0000

NOD32 is my favorite too. I'm a Mac user but that's what I typically use on my VMs and it's what I make my mom use too.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Anthony Bynoe — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:56:34 -0000

I've been using security essentials beta for a few months now. It works quite well to me.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Donagh Mc Sweeney — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:52:44 -0000

I'm happy with AVG so don't think I'll change to be honest

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

AA — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:01:14 -0000

I've been using Avast and I have installed this MS product today (something tells me this should be pushed to all Microsoft PCs OR Microsoft is ten years too late to deliver this product). Any way, the only reason I might consider removing Avast is if I see a big difference in memory usage of both processes. So far, Avast's "ashServ.exe" is 13K versus Microsoft's "MsMpEng.exe" is 30K. Will give it a few days ride before deciding what to do, obviously don't want to run two anti-virus software (I wouldn't even run a single one if it was up to me).

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Lukas H — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:15:14 -0000

I don't use anti-virus software. I use Firefox, so I don't get browser jacked. I've been using the 'net long enough to know if something is dodgy, and I don't open weird .exe files. I have a good firewall and traffic monitor, so I'd spot anything weird dialing home pretty quickly. I also don't fileshare, which is where most of the viruses I've cleaned off other people's computers have originated. This is less a problem with Bittorrent, but was a nightmare with friends who used Limewire and Kazaa. It's been so long since I had a virus, I'm almost nostalgic about them.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Johnny Rivera — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:59:32 -0000

As I former MCSE, consultant for Fortune 500 companies and now business owner, I really have issues with trusting Microsoft with anything new they put on the market. That is, until it's been debugged. That process alone takes years.

This really should get people's red flags up: "...if you already have an anti-virus or anti-malware program installed, make sure you uninstall it before installing Security Essentials."

Right.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Josh Fraser — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:55:44 -0000

What do I use to protect my computer against viruses? A mac.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Oboewan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:50:34 -0000

"Easy integration with Windows?"
Not even Windows has easy integration with Windows.

And shouldn't this be part of the system itself? So that this wouldn't be necessary?

Above all, WHY IS ANYONE IN THEIR RIGHT MINDS TRUSTING MICROSOFT FOR THEIR SECURITY?

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Jason Rukus — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:49:00 -0000

So where is the software to fix the fixes in the Microsoft fixing program? Perhaps they should do a redesign of their OS from the ground up so it's not so prone to infections?

I use Macs but I recommend Kaspersky (even though it's a part of a communist conspiracy to overthrow our government...) to anyone who asks.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Name — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:45:17 -0000

Good to know about the Microsoft option. I've been a loyal user of the "a-squared" security suite(Emisoft)for about 3 or 4 years. They get a 5/5 from me. Also have used McAfee. Their suite worked just fine. But I did not like when they switched over to autorenewal with no notice. They took funds, unauthorized, out of an account. It was also very difficult to find out how to cancel what did not start out as one but suddenly became a subscription with McAfee. "a-squared," so far, has been the best out of the handful of security software I've tried over the years.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

jberg — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:43:28 -0000

We used Live One Care and knock wood, it's worked so far. Sad to see it go!
But think about it, Microsoft probably creates all these viruses & trojans so who better to get protection from? Amirite?

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

aboutjer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:39:53 -0000

For myself, I like Norton and Kaspersky and luckily at home I run mostly Apples. I recommend Symantec Corporate Edition for most of my clients that don't have in-house IT departments. I am not a fan of McAfee because many of my clients report problems with the user interface for some odd reason.

For the freebies, I like Avira and Avast!. I will have to check out MS freebie on the new Windows 7.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

rootblock — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:38:14 -0000

Breaking: Linux doesn't need anti-virus software.

Re: Microsoft Releases Free Anti-Virus Software

Cheryl Taylor — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:38:02 -0000

I use NOD32 by ESET, which is a super program that doesn't hog memory or CPU. It blocks pretty much all known threats and updates up to 4 times daily. I'm not sure I would trust a program by microsoft, simply because I don't think they have put enough time into the ins & outs of running AV software. Most AV companies have dozens of labs & techs on the job, it is an industry alone, which I don't think Microsoft will manage very well. The windows updates are also an essential part of system security, and we have to wait one whole month from when exploits are found, till we get patches to close them. If microsoft were a bit more proactive in getting critical remote code execution patches out to us, we might not need to focus so hard on 3rd party programs to keep our machines safe. Microsoft make these systems with SO many exploitable flaws, they're constantly churning out patches for more & more of them. They need to focus on making the Windows OS more secure in the first place. Even if it means rewriting the whole concept of windows, Microsoft won't admit it, but they really are not above malware authors, who are running rings around them with things like Blaster ( a couple of years ago ), and the more recent conficker.