Microsoft Security Essentials beta Video

Microsoft Security Essentials beta Video Transcript

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>> As the countdown timer kicks off on Windows 7, Microsoft has also begun to fade out its Live OneCare Security Suite. In its place, users are being pointed to a new freeware antivirus and antispyware program designed to compete with AVG, Avira, and Avast. Hi, I'm Seth Rosenblatt for CNET Download.com. And in this First Look, we're focusing on Microsoft Security Essentials Beta. At the time that we're shooting this video, the program is only available as limited public beta, and all available slots have been taken. However, that doesn't mean that what I'm about to show you isn't a good road map for the future of Microsoft Security might hold. The main interface is uncluttered, easy to read, and easy to use. Status updates are in the central section with scan options available on the right. The quick scan only check system critical areas, and finished up for me in then minutes. The full scan checks everything, and took my PC nearly 90 minutes to finish. The custom scan lets you choose which folders and drives to examine, but this is where the program reveals a critical flaw. You can't actually scan for specific types of threats, yet, such as root kits, which the competition can do. The rest of the tabs are self-explanatory. Update let's you force a definition file update. And history shows you a list of any perceived threats detected, and the actions taken against them. It is not a full scan log, something else the competition has. It also shows you want, if any, files have been quarantined. The settings tab actually contains a lot of information. Here is where you can schedule a scan and somewhat configure scan behavior, tweak your real-time protection, exclude specific files and folders, file types, or processes, manage some basic advance settings, and adjust your Microsoft SpyNet membership. This isn't as scary as it sounds. It's a horrible name, but SpyNet is merely Microsoft's name for definition file monitoring. It's something that most, if not all, security suites do to make sure that new definitions were correctly implemented. Overall, Security Essentials marks a new path for security out of Redmond, a free path. Whether it's one that users will want to travel with Microsoft is another issue entirely, but if it makes Windows users, who otherwise wouldn't have malware protection, more secure, it can't be that bad, right? With a First Look at Microsoft Security Essentials, I'm Seth Rosenblatt for Download.com. ^M00:02:35 [ Music ]