Microsoft has just made available the awaited ‘Microsoft Security Essentials’ (Morro) beta.
Click the image above (it will take you to Microsoft Connect) to register and download the beta.
More information about the product can be found at the official Microsoft site.
In just 4 days users will be able to download the beta version of Microsoft Security Essentials. Initially the beta will be available in English-speaking countries, Brazil and Israel.
Microsoft Security Essentials will use the same engine as the paid Forefront Client Security. It will be available in 32- and 64-bit versions for Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Microsoft Security Essentials will require a Genuine (validated) version of Windows.
You can also check-out the official web site.
Since Microsoft's new antivirus seems to be the topic of the day, let’s take a look at the recent antivirus comparison reports published by av-comparatives.org.
(Microsoft Live OneCare 2.5.2900.20 has been used in the tests, even though it will stop being sold in retail by June 30th, 2009).
The following report, where Microsoft scored second behind Avira and in par with G Data, shows the pro-active on-demand detection capabilities sorted by detection rate.
Microsoft’s antivirus was the only one with the least false alarms (0-2), compared to its competitors:
Last, but not least, Microsoft Live OneCare was awarded with the Advanced+ certification, alongside NOD32 and Kaspersky.
We all hope Microsoft will do even better with the new Morro / Microsoft Security Essentials free antivirus offering, when this is released by the end of 2009.
You can read the full report at av-comparatives.org (PDF, 840KB).
Microsoft Security Essentials (or ‘Morro’ as it has been know until today), the new free anti-virus offering by Microsoft, seems to be using the same engine and definitions as those provided by Microsoft’s business client security offering, Microsoft Forefront Client Security.
The comparison of screenshots speaks for itself:
(Screenshot from Ars Technica)
Apart from the Client version, which has been augmented to 2.0.xxxx for Morro – to be in par with the next version of Forefront Client Security 2.0 that will be part of the Stirling platform, all other definition versions are the same. Notably, Microsoft provides multiple updates of its definitions daily through Microsoft Update.
Microsoft provides the option to enterprises who have licensed Forefront Client Security in a per-user licensing model to provide the Client Security agent to employees at no additional cost for protecting home computers.
By releasing Morro by the end of 2009, Microsoft will further extend the coverage of their anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-malware offering to home users as well.
Microsoft Security Essentials will be made available in September according to sources familiar with Microsoft's plans. Microsoft has officially stated that Microsoft Security Essentials would be available by the end of 2009 at the latest. The company has been trialing internal versions since June 1.
Source: Neowin.net
A Windows enthusiast blog on Tuesday posted what it says are leaked screenshots of Microsoft's upcoming free security software, code-named "Morro," which is due for public beta release soon, as we have already reported before.
The Neowin.net blog has three screenshots that it says it obtained from an anonymous source. The software is reportedly being tested internally at Microsoft.
Meanwhile, CNET News' sister site ZDNet is reporting that Morro will be almost entirely cloud-based.
"Instead of scanning every file or network packet as they arrive into the computer from the Web or an external device, it creates a virtual tunnel between your incoming Internet pipe at the back of your computer to a Morro data center, which scans every byte and packet for malware," writes Zack Whittaker on the iGeneration blog.
Source: Morro screenshots reportedly leaked; Will it be cloud-based? | Security - CNET News
Microsoft has said that Morro will offer basic features for fighting a wide range of viruses, which would likely make it comparable to low-end consumer products from Symantec and McAfee that cost about $40 per year.Three years ago, Microsoft entered that market with Live OneCare, which turned out to be a commercial flop. It announced plans in November to kill that product suite, saying it would launch the free Morro service by the end of 2009.
