Microsoft To Enter PC Security Market With Morro

Symantec, McAfee and Norton. What do all three of those have in common? A little something with Microsoft, now. For years upon years, the first three companies have been ruling the PC security roost, all while Microsoft scrambles to patch its own operating systems when new exploits are discovered and reported. At long last, the OS maker has decided to give itself some of the medicine rather than taking it from the spoons of other vendors.



A spokesperson for the company recently stated that it would soon reveal an anti-virus service to compete with the solutions already dominating the market; the difference, however, is that Microsoft's alternative will be completely free of charge. It's expected to start testing the software internally over the next few months, and afterwards it will publish a public beta version. The software is codenamed Morro, and it definitely has analysts curious.
Daniel Ives, an analyst with FBR Capital Markets, noted that Microsoft entering the market "is a long-term competitive threat" to the other guys. After all, with a name like Microsoft, its bound to gain traction. And with a price tag of $0.00, it's bound to beat the others on cost.



Microsoft has stated that Morro will offer "basic" virus-fighting features, but we've yet to learn exactly what will be offered. Still, it's anticipated that Morro will launch in earnest by the end of 2009, so we should find out soon enough.