Microsoft Security Essentials

[Laura]

Now, I've been hearing recommendations for MSE all over the place and I'm really quite confused. So I have come to you folks, yet again, to clear up this issue for me.

 

It's from Microsoft. No, that has nothing to do with the fact that my primary computer is not running Windows, but more to the fact that they are supplying an antivirus for their own OS. If a worm were to emerge in Microsoft Word would they fix it in MSE or through an update to the OS? My point being that if they haven't fixed it in their OS, why would they fix the issue in their antivirus? Wouldn't the new virus definitions only include those that Microsoft knows about?

 

And here's a tidbit from the license agreement.

You may not...disclose the results of any benchmark tests of the software to any third party without Microsoft’s prior written approval;

Are they trying to hide something from the public eye? If so, what? The fact that I need their written approval without getting sued makes it seem that only those tests which show them in a positive light will ever...well, see the light of day.

 

I've never had a problem with malware so I cannot comment on its detection rates (not like any other third party can, either :rolleyes:). Anyway, those are my two issues with MSE, and they are rather large. Perhaps it's just me seeing this, but I'm still going third-party with Avira installed on my laptop.

[DarkDude]

If a security flaw was found in Microsoft word then the update would be done through Office, not anything else. Seem with an OS hole, that'd be fixed with Microsoft Update.

 

I've been using this for a while now and have no problems with it at all.

[champion]

MSE has been my only anti-virus for months now and I've been virus-free. So I think it's pretty good.

[Sbrideau]

Even though I've been using it for a while now, relying on the fact that MSE doesn't detect anything to say there are no viruses is the wrong way to go, istolethepie. At least use an online scan before you come and say something like that, just to be sure. I agree that MSE is very good though.

[Will H]

The best thing about it is that it just seems to handle processor and RAM usage so much better than any third-party AV out there. That's probably only because Microsoft developed it, and they would know best when and where there's free RAM or processor capacity to use.

 

Windows update handles the security holes, MSE handles anything that gets through the holes. It's a pretty solid system, so long as you use common sense on the internet.

[Ember]

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[champion]

Even though I've been using it for a while now, relying on the fact that MSE doesn't detect anything to say there are no viruses is the wrong way to go, istolethepie. At least use an online scan before you come and say something like that, just to be sure. I agree that MSE is very good though.

I guess I didn't necessarily mean virus-free, but more like virus-free in my eyes, as in everything seemingly working fine and nothing being detected.

[Will H]

It's a pretty solid system, so long as you use common sense on the internet.

 

I seem to recall hearing that as a reason for never patching a Windows 2000 system or using any sort of security software. (Unfortunately, installing CometCursor did not violate his common sense)

 

The only real use I see for it is possibly as a temporary measure while they test vulnerability patches before publishing, or for unsupported systems.

Used for anything else, I can see where it might become an excuse for not fixing serious problems.

 

Either way, it doesn't directly affect me.

 

 

Heh, I've heard that kind of thing from a lot of people. No, you can have common sense on the internet and still get a virus if you have outdated/no security software, but with MSE, I've found you can have reasonable leeway and still remain virus free fairly effortlessly. I'm not saying this because it's Microsoft, I've had a lot of issues with them concerning other programs and OSs, but I just think they've finally got it right in this category.

[ClareJonsson]

To be honest I don't think it matters what anti/malware/spyware solution you use there's always a risk of infection, and that is because new virsuses/trojans/spyware are being written every day and unless your software has been updated to include it's definition it will get onto your system.

 

I use MSE and so far (Fingers crossed) have been infection free, also the reason I moved to MSE was because it was the only one that removed a rather nasty infection I had last year that not even Avast stopped or could remove. Also in my oppinion the best people to protect an operating system are the people who wrote it in the first place, and MSE does a really good job of it too!