The latest version of Microsoft's free antivirus software suite - Security Essentials 2.0 - has been launched with little in the way of fanfare this week.
Microsoft's latest upgrade to its free Security Essentials suite contains a number of new features and improvements on past versions, so it's certainly worth checking out.
Free, secure, easy
The software has been detailed over on the Microsoft Security blog, with a lot of work being done to improve its effectiveness against viruses and malware.
Essentially, Microsoft's antivirus engine has been given the same upgrade as that applied to Microsoft's paid-for Forefront Client Security suite for businesses, offering "efficient threat detection against the latest malware and rootkits" and "protection against 'unknown' or 'zero day' threats through behaviour monitoring and emulation."
Users are also now asked whether or not they want to turn on the Windows Firewall when they install the software.
This might indicate why Microsoft is remaining reasonably quiet about the fact that the free upgrade to its security suite is now available, following recent complaints of 'anti-competitive' behaviour from other anti-virus specialists such as Panda and Trend Micro.
Whatever. We just want to ensure that our computers are safe from potentially harmful malware attacks. And if Microsoft is able to provide us with a free and decent enough solution to this never-ending worry, then that's more than fine by us.
Check out Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 here as you won't be offered the upgrade automatically right now by your current MS Security Essentials software, should you already have that installed on your PC.
Via PC Pro
