Microsoft: free Security Essentials is a threat to Symantec

No more of a threat than AVG or AVIRA etc.

The real threat is if Microsoft's anti-virus is better.

By cheysuli on 29 Sep 2009

XP Mode

Did anyone else notice this from the sys reqs

"Microsoft Security Essentials also supports Windows XP Mode in Windows 7."

Wasn't there an AV vendor bashing MS over XP mode last week?

By iwilson on 30 Sep 2009

"Wasn't there an AV vendor bashing MS over XP mode last week?"

There was but his arguments made no sense. Apparently he felt companies would not maintain both XP and W7 on one machine because of the doubled workload. Probably true but what did he suggest? Buy 2 machines instead? Forget W7? Nope - no suggestion of a way forward.

By AdrianB on 30 Sep 2009

No way is Microsoft a threat to Symantec

No, I don’t think that Microsoft Security Essentials is a threat to Symantec. A major part of Symantec’s business is security. Microsoft is only producing this product on the side and to generate some good PR. I agree that Microsoft’s Security Essentials is no bigger of a threat than AVG or Avira.


I think Microsoft’s approach is good idea. Anyone without anti-virus /anti spyware software should consider installing it. In my opinion if you have a paid for product (from any company) stick with it.


Microsoft Security Essentials only updates up to a maximum of 3 times a day. Symantec Internet Security 2010 updates its definitions every 5 – 15 minutes and performs a full update (of all its components e.g. Intrusion prevention signatures, anti-spam definitions etc (as necessary)) every hour. The 2009 version performed this full update every 8 hours. Internet Security 2010 has advanced behavioural technology, aka SONAR 2 and the Quorum reputation based scanner, while Microsoft Security Essentials only has basic protection called Dynamic Signature Service (DSS).


Also, I would like to see Microsoft Security Essentials RAM usage when idle. Symantec Internet Security 2010’s RAM footprint of 10 MB is lowest I have seen. Don’t just take my word for it; consult the PDF at

http://www.passmark.com/AVReport

for the full details. According to this report, only Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 came close at 20.01 MB. Symantec is going to take some beating on that front.


Also, how much time does that Microsoft Security Essentials add to boot time? How fast is it scanning your entire computer? How much time does it add to when you are copying files from one place to another? How much time does it add when trying to load a webpage when you are browsing the net? These are all areas where Symantec latest 2010 product performs exceptionally well.


I doubt Microsoft can beat Symantec at something it has been many years working on. Remember Microsoft is just doing Microsoft Security Essentials as a sideline.

By Jimbo762 on 30 Sep 2009