Protect Your PC with Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0
The internet, as we all know, is home to a lot of information and a lot of security threats. On one hand you have easy access to news, videos, games, online banking and online shopping, to mention but a few things you can do online. On the other hand you have viruses, worms, Trojans, malware, rogues, scammers and all sorts of other threats. For that reason you need to get a security software solution (an antivirus program) and keep the nasties at bay.
If you spent all your money on a genuine Windows version and you don't want to spend any more, Redmond-based software giant Microsoft has a free security software solution for you. That security software solution is Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). Version 1.0 of MSE was rolled out to the public back in September 2009; version 2.0 has been rolled out this December, a few days before Christmas.
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How come we missed the launch of MSE 2.0? Two reasons – number one, it was right before Christmas, and we were busy with other things; and number two, Microsoft was really, really quiet about the release. Even to this day, if you visit microsoft.com/security_essentials/ there’s no mention that MSE has been updated to version 2.0. It’s only after you download the application and install it that you notice Microsoft is no longer serving version 1.0.
I’ll have to be honest with you. Ever since I got a new PC for home, one loaded with Windows 7, I turned to MSE for protection. Why you ask? Because it is light in resources, doesn’t cost a thing (in various reviews I’ve mentioned it a thousand times that I don’t like to part with my hard earned money), and offers adequate protection against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. On MSE’s 1st anniversary Microsoft released a few interesting statistics that showcase just how good MSE is – check them out here.
Putting the spotlight in MSE 2.0, here are the main new bits the security software solution has to offer:
An updated user interface (check out the image below).
You can turn the Windows Firewall on or off during the setup process
MSE integrates with Microsoft’s Internet Explorer web browser to protect the user from web-based attacks.
The antimalware engine has been updated to provide better performance, better detection, and better cleanup capabilities.
Network inspection system functionality to protect the user from network-based exploits.
The bottom line is that if you want a good application to protect your computer from security threats, MSE is a proper choice. An even better choice now that it has been updated to version 2.0. If you would like to get Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0, you can get it straight from Microsoft here.
On top - the old MSE interface. Below – the new MSE interface.
The internet, as we all know, is home to a lot of information and a lot of security threats. On one hand you have easy access to news, videos, games, online banking and online shopping, to mention but a few things you can do online. On the other hand you have viruses, worms, Trojans, malware, rogues, scammers and all sorts of other threats. For that reason you need to get a security software solution (an antivirus program) and keep the nasties at bay.
