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New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers

By | November 29, 2011, 11:47am PST

Summary: Microsoft has released a beta of a new version of its free Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) anti-virus/anti-malware client.

Earlier this month, the Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) team put out a call for testers interested in test-driving a new version of Microsoft’s free anti-virus/anti-malware client. On November 29, those testers were notified that the new MSE beta bits were ready for download from the Microsoft Connect site.

MSE is is based on the same engine that its paid Forefront Endpoint Security product uses. MSE is free and was developed expressly for users who either couldn’t or wouldn’t pay for antivirus/anti-malware software. There has been no registration required, no trials with an expiration date or required renewals for previous MSE releases but only works on PCs running Genuine Windows (which has been authenticated as non-pirated).

The coming version of MSE includes the following features:

Automatic malware remediation: “The Beta will clean high-impact malware infections automatically, with no required user interaction,” according to Microsoft.

Enhanced performance: “The Beta includes many performance improvements to make sure your PC performance isn’t negatively impacted,” the Softies have said.

Simplified UI: The interface of the beta easier to use, officials have promised..

New and improved protection engine: “The updated engine offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities,” according to the company.

The new MSE will work on PCs running Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3); Windows Vista (Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2); and Windows 7 (Service Pack 1). It will work with Internet Explorer (IE) 6 or higher, or Mozilla’s Firefox 2.0 or higher.

Microsoft officials have not specified a date as to when the final version of this MSE release will be available.

(Thanks to blogger Steven Bink for the information on the MSE beta release.)

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Topics

PC, Malware, Service Pack, Microsoft Corp., Tester, Microsoft Security Essentials, Spyware, Adware & Malware, Cyberthreats, Microsoft Windows, Viruses And Worms, Security, Operating Systems, Software, Mary Jo Foley

Mary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 25 years for a variety of publications and Web sites, and is a frequent guest on radio, TV and podcasts, speaking about all things Microsoft-related. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008).

Disclosure

Mary-Jo Foley

Freelance journalist/blogger Mary Jo Foley has nothing to disclose. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). I do not own Microsoft stock or stock in any of its partners or competitors. I have no business ventures that are sponsored by/funded by Microsoft or any of its partners or competitors.

Biography

Mary-Jo Foley

Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 25 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek and Baseline. She has kept close tabs on Microsoft strategy, products and technologies for the past 10 years. In the late 1990s, she penned the award-winning "At The Evil Empire" column for ZDNet, and more recently the Microsoft Watch blog for Ziff Davis.

Got a tip? Send her an email with your rants, rumors, tips and tattles. Confidentiality guaranteed.

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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
ScorpioBlue 1st Dec
@Joe_Blow says:

For one, if it's a false detection, there's probably reason for it. When was the last time Microsoft Security Essentials had any notable false detection for a virus? Please check your history. (And no, I don't count Google Chrome as a false positive - it's the biggest piece of spyware out there) Microsoft has always favoured guaranteeing true positives over agressive detections.

If you believe that then I have a bridge to sell you. Wholesale.

Do you believe everything MS tells you? I for one would like some kind of notification telling me something's going on. I would not be happy with some kind of action taking place on my computer without my knowledge. I don't put that much trust on any software out there to do this, not even Linux.

Spoken like a true cry baby! It's not announced except for a beta. They have a channel for that - it's called Connect. If you don't like it, T.S.

Then don't announce it here. As far as I'm concerned, this 'wonderful' new GUI for it is vaporware for now. I'm not going to go crawling around looking for it just to suit you, pal. Don't like my answer? T.S. to you too.

Avast and AVG have fluctuating detection rates from half-decent to very poor. None of the other free antimalware products are complete either, only offering complete malware protection if you pay for some bloated all-in-one security product with features that you don't need (like a firewall, since every OS has a 2-way firewall with location support built-in now).

I've been using nod32 for years. Just the anti-virus package, not their full software suite and I get notifications. Yes I pay, but I'm satisfied and I don't have to rely on Windows Update to push new definitions all the time.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
bobiroc 29th Nov
Does it really require Windows 7 to have Service Pack 1 to work?

I think antivirus programs and other malware detection/prevention or repair programs need to stop asking the person questions on what they want to do. I took in a laptop last night that the customer literally approved the trojan virus when MSE warned her and said it could remove it. Her machine was instantly compromised and was surprised by what happened. When I asked her why she changed the default action from remove to approve she said because she wanted to see what the program her friend sent her was all about. I told her it was all about a bad trojan virus that is what it was about.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Edesw88 29th Nov
@bobiroc
I wish they'd just have two separate downloads for MSE. One as you describe (for normal users where it just automatically stops viruses without bothering the basic user) and the other for "advanced users" who want notifications and choices (like me).
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
bobiroc 29th Nov
@Edesw88

I think MSE is better than most when it comes to the annoying warnings but still people will be people and disregard security for the sake of their personal entertainment or if they think they can get something for free. I have yet to see a Windows based computer since XP SP2 that the source of the infection cannot be traced to something the user of the computer did to let the infection in beyond a reasonable doubt.

Thankfully this computer had Windows 7 and all I had to do is run a System restore to undo the changes the infection made by hiding virtually everything and causing the redirects and apps not to load and then run a few scanners to clean up any residue from the malware.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Rabid Howler Monkey 29th Nov
@Edesw88 Advanced users can properly manage 3rd party anti-virus software, free or paid. And don't forget that Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool runs silently on one's PC every patch Tuesday. It would appear that the MSRT model is to be used for MSE in the future.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
dresky - take out ya nerd sticks and lets nerd fap 29th Nov
@bobiroc im wondering abt the service pack 1 thing too isnt xp sp 3 older than w7 with no sp?

anyway the reason i commented on this post my sister and her friends do the same crap then come to ask me why their computer is acting weird.

i have to keep up with their computer regularly to make sure it hasnt been comprimised
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
bobiroc 29th Nov
@dresky

I can sympathize. Between me and my brother we have a nice handful of machines that we have to manage amongst our family and friends. I have resorted to making some of my family use a standard user account for everyday use and only use the admin account sparingly. Of course most of them use the admin account all the time but I tried.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
G-Systems 29th Nov
@dresky - take out ya nerd sticks and lets nerd fap

My girlfriend has had her laptop (Win7 64 HP) for a year now, and I can proudly say that she hasn't acquired a virus yet. Mind you, this is the same woman that I watched infect an entire small business network when I first met her...lol (honestly)

The reason? The threat of delayed repair. Don't stay on top of it (re: your sister's computer)... Fix it--for sure...but have it be down for a few days...then, when you do fix it, ensure that the way your sister pays is by sitting there with you and actually learning what she did wrong...why it's wrong, and how to prevent it in the future. I'll guarantee you'll get more time to be a nerd for yourself! happy

In my case, I repair machines all day at work. I don't want to come home and repair another one...I just want it to work.

I mean, I'm not expecting my girlfriend to assist me with a major computer issue...it's just not her interest--she wants to be a nurse. But the only time she comes to me with an issue is major, BSOD affairs (such as Intel's poor driver releases for it's wireless network cards)...
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
bradavon 29th Nov
@dresky: Forcing users to upgrade to newer service packs when they want to install software, is an effective way to ensure it's done.

I doubt MSE really needs Win7 SP1 but artificially it will be forced upon the user anyway.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
dhays 29th Nov
My last message seems to have disappeared.
I am wary of any AV product that automatically culls and deletes a flagged item. It could very well be the program you are installing it doesn't recognize. If it were to automatically remove it then you would be up a creek without your program. If it warns you and then allows you to go ahead (assuming you know it is a valid program see bobiroc's comment), it would be better.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
bobiroc 29th Nov
@dhays

It is a double-edged sword. I totally understand that sometimes legit programs and files get flagged which sucks too. There is no winning it seems.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Lerianis10 30th Nov
@bobiroc

Ah, that 'legit program flagging' usually only happens to game trainers or extremely new files (like the Mozilla Nightly installer).

Now, in the former case, there is no excuse for that in the slightest. In the latter case, I can understand that.

Basically, unless the security program in question is 100% sure that what I downloaded is a virus? LET ME CHOOSE!
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
G-Systems 29th Nov
@dhays I with you 100%. I'm sure that MS isn't going to take away the advanced options. MSE is just too good to take all of my control away (sounds oxymoronic, I know). I definitely need that control. This is a concern for me too. Don't get me wrong--MSE has saved my rear-end about two times over my duration of using it...but many of the false-positives could've been catastrophic, since "System Restore" isn't an option for me at this time (using an SSD [only 96GB] and Windows Software Raid [GPT])...
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The best Antivirus ever
adacosta38 29th Nov
We had a serious Shortcut virus and trojan issue at a school I work and Security Essentials reduced the problem to near 10%. The automatic updates and self updating really take a lot out of the complexity of MSE.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Sultansulan 29th Nov
Wp7 has failed.

Even Samsung Bada Outsells wp7:)
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Brother Barn 29th Nov
@Sultansulan

And this has what to do with this article how?
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Forrestall 30th Nov
@Brother Barn, Sultansulan is one of the many online persona's of someone who feels very threatened by Windows Phone. He needs the world to know by spamming blogs with the same FUD over and over.

As this spam seems generated, perhaps he now gets paid to do so or his anxiety and personality disorders increase along with the succes of Windows Phone.
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...no required user interaction...
mseyf 29th Nov
"Automatic malware remediation: ???The Beta will clean high-impact malware infections automatically, with no required user interaction,??? according to Microsoft."

Good thing Anti-Virus programs never mistakenly delete system files required to boot your PC.
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Well let's see, Mary Jo
ScorpioBlue 29th Nov
Automatic malware remediation: ???The Beta will clean high-impact malware infections automatically, with no required user interaction,??? according to Microsoft.

Wow, that means it's gonna nuke something that I might want to keep and not tell me about it. 'Brilliant'! Just 'brilliant'!

chortle...lol... grin

Enhanced performance: ???The Beta includes many performance improvements to make sure your PC performance isn???t negatively impacted,??? the Softies have said.

Uh-huh. Like?

Sounds pretty vague to me.

Simplified UI: The interface of the beta easier to use, officials have promised..

Let's see it.

New and improved protection engine: ???The updated engine offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities,??? according to the company.

That'll be the day.
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You sound like a crybaby
Joe_Raby 29th Nov
@ScorpioBlue

Nuke a virus you want to keep? You're kidding right?

If you want to see the UI, sign up for the beta.

And if you want a better free antivirus, you don't live on this planet.
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Who's crying?
ScorpioBlue Updated - 29th Nov
You sure that's not your own kid in the background? ;)

Nuke a virus you want to keep? You're kidding right?

How do we know it's a virus? It doesn't tell us now does it? Get a clue.

If you want to see the UI, sign up for the beta.

Nope, I want it posted here. They announced it so let's see it.

And if you want a better free antivirus, you don't live on this planet.

I already have one. And it's not MSE nuking files without telling me, thank God.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
G-Systems 29th Nov
@Joe_Raby

Joe, if you think that AV Suites are perfect in their detection, think again... It's not the viruses that people are concerned about losing...
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Rabid Howler Monkey Updated - 29th Nov
@Joe_Raby wrote:
"And if you want a better free antivirus, you don't live on this planet.

By what metrics? e.g., False positive rate, Detection rate, Maintenance required, Resource usage, Ease of use, Price, Scanning speed?
I'll give MSE credit for being a top performer (but, not perfect) with regard to false positives. It is also low maintenance, especially if one enables Microsoft Update in lieu of Windows Update assuring that the software is automatically updated. It's ease of use is also quite good. And it is truly free (as in free beer), with neither nag screens nor reduced features relative to a paid version. However, while it's detection rate is average to above-average, it is not a top performer.

@G-Systems wrote:
"It's not the viruses that people are concerned about losing...

Three cases involving false positives come to mind. The AV software mistakes a critical system file for malware and removes it, rendering the system unbootable (MSE has not *yet* done this to its users and its relatively low false positive rate helps). Removing *.xls files from the system, resulting in data loss or, merely, inconvenience if backups exist. Or removing a legitimate application such as Google Chrome, requiring the app to be re-installed.

But what of false negatives? No anti-virus software is perfect and the miscreants have become quite skilled at getting their nasties past the goalie. As far as detections go, Avira's free anti-virus has a superior detection rate to MSE meaning that it is more likely to catch the nasties. And avast! free, while not quite at Avira's level of detection, also has a better detection rate than MSE. One can also experience data loss, and worse, due to false negatives. Banking trojans come to mind. Serious stuff, *especially* for small businesses.

But, protection afforded by anti-virus software pales in comparison to keeping one's system and installed apps patched, true least privilege and application whitelisting. For exploits targeting unpatched vulnerabilities, Oracle's Java, Adobe's Flash and Adobe's Reader software are hit the most frequently. By true least privilege, I mean creating and using a limited (on XP) or standard (on Vista/7) user account for day-to-day use. Treat the default Windows account as if it *is* the Admin account, even on Vista/7. Home users can implement application whitelisting using Parental Controls built-in to Vista/7. The combination of least privilege and application whitelisting enables a user to write where he/she cannot execute and execute where he/she cannot write.

Using sandboxed apps in Windows also helps to minimize one's attack surface. Like Google's Chrome browser which is even sandboxed on Windows XP. Or protected mode and protected view with Microsoft Internet Explorer 7/8/9 and Office 2010, respectively, on Vista/7. And Adobe Reader X.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
HinoMusouka 30th Nov
@Rabid Howler Monkey: And what if there isn't a backup? I suppose neither of us knows it for sure, but home users aren't that keen of making backups are they? Personally I have Windows 7 Backup set to archive my files every month. What if MSE removes the file I created yesterday and haven't had it backed up yet?

I installed MSE 4.0 Beta from Connect website (I wonder where did 3.0 go, because I thought the previous one had 2.0 in its specification) and I'm a bit disappointed. The only interface simplification I see is removing all options from Real-time protection section of Settings tab, leaving only Turn on real protection. No options for scanning incoming/outgoing files etc. I hope it doesn't mean the functionality was reduced, because that would be very sad. Perhaps it's only beta and the functionality is being re-engineered, so it is not available for the time being. Still, quite familiar experience with nothing special to add :/ Maybe that the first scan and download of update files took longer than in the current release version, but I haven't measured it by any means. I suppose EULA doesn't allow me to :P
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Joe_Raby 30th Nov
@TheBigBaby

"How do we know it's a virus? It doesn't tell us now does it? Get a clue."

For one, if it's a false detection, there's probably reason for it. When was the last time Microsoft Security Essentials had any notable false detection for a virus? Please check your history. (And no, I don't count Google Chrome as a false positive - it's the biggest piece of spyware out there) Microsoft has always favoured guaranteeing true positives over agressive detections.

"Nope, I want it posted here. They announced it so let's see it."

Spoken like a true cry baby! It's not announced except for a beta. They have a channel for that - it's called Connect. If you don't like it, T.S.

"I already have one. And it's not MSE nuking files without telling me, thank God."

Avast and AVG have fluctuating detection rates from half-decent to very poor. None of the other free antimalware products are complete either, only offering complete malware protection if you pay for some bloated all-in-one security product with features that you don't need (like a firewall, since every OS has a 2-way firewall with location support built-in now).
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Joe_Raby 30th Nov
@Rabid Howler Monkey:

As I mentioned, there isn't any other better free antivirus product overall. Any other free antivirus has incomplete coverage. Also, most other free and even commercial antivirus software packages want to get in your face with extra bloated branding and features that you don't need. Even just standalone antimalware software for 3rd parties can really slow down a machine too. MSE gets very good, very stable reviews from AV testing organizations. The reviews may raise and drop slightly, but some (AVG, for instance) can vary wildly.

While your discussion about user privileges is notable, that advice is relevant to any computer user. Antimalware should, optimally, be the LAST line of defense, not the first. Smart browsing, security patches, and a firewall that protects unknown security holes from worms should be much higher in priority.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
ScorpioBlue 1st Dec
@Joe_Blow says:

For one, if it's a false detection, there's probably reason for it. When was the last time Microsoft Security Essentials had any notable false detection for a virus? Please check your history. (And no, I don't count Google Chrome as a false positive - it's the biggest piece of spyware out there) Microsoft has always favoured guaranteeing true positives over agressive detections.

If you believe that then I have a bridge to sell you. Wholesale.

Do you believe everything MS tells you? I for one would like some kind of notification telling me something's going on. I would not be happy with some kind of action taking place on my computer without my knowledge. I don't put that much trust on any software out there to do this, not even Linux.

Spoken like a true cry baby! It's not announced except for a beta. They have a channel for that - it's called Connect. If you don't like it, T.S.

Then don't announce it here. As far as I'm concerned, this 'wonderful' new GUI for it is vaporware for now. I'm not going to go crawling around looking for it just to suit you, pal. Don't like my answer? T.S. to you too.

Avast and AVG have fluctuating detection rates from half-decent to very poor. None of the other free antimalware products are complete either, only offering complete malware protection if you pay for some bloated all-in-one security product with features that you don't need (like a firewall, since every OS has a 2-way firewall with location support built-in now).

I've been using nod32 for years. Just the anti-virus package, not their full software suite and I get notifications. Yes I pay, but I'm satisfied and I don't have to rely on Windows Update to push new definitions all the time.
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
ggreig 30th Nov
No mention of Windows Home Server then?
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RE: New Microsoft Security Essentials beta available to select testers
Alan Smithie 30th Nov
"Automatic malware remediation"

I hope there is an option to turn this back to user intervention. Just seen too many AV/malware programs Bork perfectly genuine files with false positives.

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