Ouch: Microsoft no longer recommends their own Security Essentials anti-virus package

[ShyWriter]

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Ouch: Microsoft no longer recommends their own Security Essentials anti-virus package

 

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 06 Oct 2013 12:34

 

 

Microsoft, which for years has touted its Security Essentials anti-virus package, has now said users should use third-party applications on top of MSE, as it will never be the best option.

 

In an interview, the company admits it has turned its AV app into a "baseline program," and that the app will "always be on the bottom" of the AV software rankings, where it has languished in the last two years after a few years on top.

Microsoft also adds that "the company is just sharing its virus tracking findings with the security industry so they can develop better antivirus programs."

MSE (or Windows Defender in Windows 8) has always been an extremely light-weight app, and it was popular for not being annoying like more commercial programs like McAfee and Norton.

A few great free options if you want to move away from MSE are Avira, Avast and AVG.

Check the rest here: Antivirus programs at Afterdawn

 

/Steve

[AdvancedSetup]

Because there is a very large cost to providing a free antivirus or anti-malware product and they probably don't wish to spend even further money on something that provides no financial gain for them.

[David H. Lipman]

After MS bought RAV it was a paid-for product.  For whatever reason, they subsequently released it as a free product re-branded.

 

The MS MRT still incorporates the same engine but with a fixed targeting list and remains a valuable tool in the anti malware arsenal as it is updated, distributed and used to scan computers every month.

 

For the most part, I don't think Microsoft ever had the proper "mind set" for an anti virus product.  When they did publish a paid-for product they didn't handle submissions well at all.  The email addresses they published sat BEHIND subject and content filters such that submissions were actually "lost" or "dropped".  I had an interesting exchange with Randy T. who was the ¹Project Manager.  I was able to convince him of the folly and the email accounts were subsequently placed outside of content filters and thus allowed samples to get through. 

 

EDIT:

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1.  Had to double check my records.  It was November '05 and Randy was the "Program Manager, Security Technology Unit, Microsoft".

[Amethyst]

My first impression on reading this thread is that Microsoft just doesn't want to put the time and resources into this, doing what it takes to be a top notch security company and stay on top of things.  Seems to me they have their hands full just patching the holes in the Windows OS, Office, and .NET packages, and then fixing the faulty patches.  Maybe M$ just spread themselves too thin.  They tend to do that, and it's never a good thing.  (Remember when they got into the mp3 player thing?  They should have left that alone.  And as far as I'm concerned, they should have put their energy into working with software and doing a top rate job of that, and leave the hardware to others.  But that's another rant.    I wish they would leave the tablet and smartphone hardware alone and put those resources into the security software from which they now seem to be withdrawing.)

 

It's too bad, really, because the entire online community benefits when everyone is properly protected from malware, and having a good quality product that is affordable and not difficult to use was a nice idea.  I do know people who use MSE and I also have used it in the past.  I switched to ESS because I wanted more robust all around protection and I felt I could do better than the Windows firewall.  

[John L. Galt]

I'd like to see said interview first.

[Tarnak]

I have never used their free AV, FWIW.

[mountaintree16]

Hmm... Is there anything else free out there that is much good?  Other than AVG?  I can't really afford to pay for anything at the moment

[David H. Lipman]

Avira AntiVir.  As far as I am concerned, and in my humble opinion,  it is better than Avast, AVG and MSE. 

 

That's why I include a specially licensed version of Avira's Command Line Scanner in my Multi-AV Scanning Tool.

[GT500]

Avira AntiVir.  As far as I am concerned, and in my humble opinion,  it is better than Avast, AVG and MSE.

My opinion of Avira's software slumped considerably when I was doing some testing with several editions of it in early 2012. The software seemed as detrimental to computer performance as Norton once was.

Obviously Avira has made considerable changes to their software since then, so it may be better now than it was then.

[David H. Lipman]

dont go to advira cause they add adaware with their software...ive switched to bitdefender free and its done a great job blocking viruses,etc and cleaning up cookies so id suggest bitdefender free cause all other av let viruses threw (mse,avast,avg,etc) and had to clean multiple pc's cause of those programs letting stuff threw unlike bitdefender where it blocks 99.9 % of stuff & bitdefender/bitdefender sends out daily-semi daily tweets about bad programs,hacks,etc (@Bitdefender for bitdefender and @BitDefenderNews for news on hacks and etc ) 

 

RonnieM:

 

That is bad advice based upon false and misleading information.  First the company is Avira not "advira" and the product is AntiVir and at NO TIME have they EVER included "adaware" { which is Lavasoft's Ad-aware } or what is presumed you meant (but can't take the time to spell correctly) "adware".

 

Avira AntiVir has been known to be in the class of "nagware".  That is because while Avira provides an effective anti virus application for free by its free version, the free version admittedly provided nag screens (past tense) touting the purchase of the paid-for version.  That does not make Avira AntiVir "adware".  Additionally Avira includes a variation of the "Ask Toolbar" in its distribution and queries the user if they want to include that as part of their Safe Search/Search Free capability.  The Ask Toolbar is not adware either and any user can Opt-Out of the installation of the toolbar.

 

Avira has also taken note of nag screen complaints.

http://techblog.avira.com/2013/09/27/weve-listened-goodbye-notifier-ads/en/

 

We also never liked it. We used it because we wanted to finance the Free Antivirus so that we continue to be able to offer free good quality security to the millions of users that are counting on it. But, soon we realized that despite the fact that it paid for a small percentage of the costs, it pushed away exactly the users for which we were striving to make the updates more frequent.

Starting with October 1st, you will never see it again.

[David H. Lipman]

Having the web site defaced in a case of hactivism is NOT indicative of of the quality or lack thereof of the product(s) the company may produce.

 

If you post and make dramatically horrible mistakes and provide false information, be prepared for constructive criticism and corrections.