June 29, 2009

Microsoft to Release Free Antivirus Package: Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft is preparing to go head to head with some of the big names in antivirus and security by releasing its own free anti-virus solution entitled "Microsoft Security Essentials." The product aims to compete directly with paid antivirus solutions such as Norton Antivirus, McAffee, and Nod32.

From Microsoft: "With Microsoft Security Essentials Beta, you get high-quality protection against viruses and spyware, including Trojans, worms and other malicious software. And best of all, there are no costs or annoying subscriptions to keep track of."

I have recently been beta testing the program and have noticed several great features including:

- Free of charge
- Great Virus detection rates
- Low memory footprint
- Quick scanning
- Auto-updating
- Scheduled scans

For these reasons, Microsoft Security Essentials has already become my anti-virus solution of choice. I have particularly enjoyed the free cost, and low memory footprint which prevent the anti-virus from bogging down my computer.

While the beta program has closed, you can still find downloads for the Microsoft Security Essentials suite here (Softpedia). Also, you can read more about the anti-virus at Microsoft's official site.

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