Items tagged with Microsoft Security Essentials
As you might already be aware, Microsoft is getting ready to lower the curtain on Windows 7, with the end of support date scheduled for January 14, 2020. After that, most users still clinging to Windows 7 will need to upgrade in order to stay protected from the latest threats. Well, sort of. While Microsoft will no longer push out monthly updates to Windows 7, it will continue to offer signature updates for Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). Microsoft confirmed plans to keep MSE updated when a user specifically asked about it on the company's community forums during an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session. The confusion stemmed from a related FAQ, in which Microsoft said in no uncertain terms, "No,...
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Microsoft did its Windows customers a solid when it released its Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) antivirus software as a free download. That in and of itself is nothing to write home about, but the program is actually good -- very good -- at detecting and neutralizing security threats, both in real-time and after they've already occurred. Reviews of MSE are typically positive, and that's not lost on Windows users. According to a report published by OPSWAT, a software development company based in San Francisco, MSE is fast becoming one of the most popular antivirus programs out there. In terms of worldwide market share, MSE is the third most popular antivirus program with a 10.08 percent share,...
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Microsoft is looking to wrangle a handful of guinea pigs adventurous users to help test the next version of its 'Microsoft Security Essentials' (MSE) antivirus software. Beta registration for the next-generation build of MSE is currently open, and Microsoft said it will be selecting a "limited" number of people who will be notified when it's available for download. According to Microsoft, the new build will sport a simplified user interface in place of the existing one that's already fairly easy to use. It will also feature a new and improved protection engine with "enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities," enhanced performance to minimize the program's impact on your system, and enhanced...
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What do you do when good security programs go bad? You freak out and raise holy hell on the Internet, that's what. And that's exactly what several users of Microsoft Security Essentials did after a faulty definitions update honed in on installations of Google Chrome and labeled the browser as malware. Oops! The good news is Microsoft is aware of the problem and has already issued another update, one that tells MSE to chillax and leave Chrome alone. "On September 30th, 2011, an incorrect detection for PWS:Win32/Zbot was identified. On September 30th, 2011, Microsoft released an update that addresses the issue. Signature versions 1.113.672.0 and higher include this update. PWS:Win32/Zbot is a password-stealing...
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Security firm F-Secure is warning that a malicious program spoofing Microsoft's free Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus program is being distributed via drive-by download as either hotfix.exe or mstsc.exe. "Not only does this fake took steal Microsoft's brand, it also features a bizarre matrix display of 32 antivirus products, offering to locate you a tool that would be capable of fixing your machine as 'Microsoft Security Essentials' can't clean the malware it found," F-Secure said. "In reality, this is all fake, and the tool has not found an infection in the fail it claims." Seen this screen lately? If so, you have a fake AV running amok on your system. The tricky install then tells users...
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By now you've certainly heard of Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), the free antivirus program hailing from Redmond and intended to replace Windows Live OneCare. Looking to capitalize on MSE's brand recognition, there's a rogue program making the rounds called "Security Essentials 2010." If the screenshot above looks at all familiar to you, then your system has been infected with a trojan called TrojanDownloader:Win32/Fakeinit. Microsoft describes this as a "fake scanner that informs the user that they need to pay money to register the software and remove these non-existent threats," but that's not all it does. It also terminates certain processes, alters the registry to cut off access to the...
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