Microsoft Opens Security Essentials Beta

Giving everyone with a Windows Live ID a chance to try the newest beta of its security product does a couple of things. It allows the widest number of different situations for the testing of the final product, and it also takes a huge bite out of other security products revenue. For those that use the free products of the security providers, putting up a Microsoft product forces an improvement in the breed.

gHacks has the particulars -

Microsoft has released the final version of their security software Microsoft Security Essentials on the same day that they have released their latest operating system Windows 7. Microsoft Security Essentials is a free antivirus software for the Windows operating system that can be downloaded and installed on PCs that pass a genuine advantage check.

Neowin today mentioned that Microsoft is currently accepting beta testers for the Microsoft Security Essentials Ongoing Beta. It seems that every Windows users with a valid Windows Live ID can join the beta test which provides access to beta versions of the security software. They need to answer a question about their operating system after log in and can then download the beta of Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Previous installations of Microsoft Security Essentials need to be uninstalled before the beta version can be installed. Microsoft has not released information about the changes in the available beta version. A version check reveals the following information (first final version, then beta)

Microsoft Security Essentials Version: 1.0.1611.0

Antimalware Client Version: 2.0.6212.0

Engine Version: 1.1.5302.0

Antivirus definitions: 1.71.328.0

Antispyware definitions: 1.71.328.0

Microsoft Security Essentials Version: 1.0.1743.0

Antimalware Client Version: 2.0.6212.0

Engine Version: 1.1.5302.0

Antivirus definitions: 1.71.346.0

Antispyware definitions: 1.71.346.0

All that is necessary is a genuine copy of Windows, and you’re set. The product seems to work well, but I have not had many problems with other products.

Though I don’t think that MSE will remove the need for other products, it will, like the public health option being argued about in Congress, keep the other guys honest!

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