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Microsoft Security Essentials 2 Beta update brings more improvements
Microsoft has pushed an update to Security Essentials 2, which is currently in beta testing. While there aren't a vast number of forward-facing changes, there is one important one: the re-introduction of context menu scanning. Once again, you can right-click any file on your system to quickly check it for infection with MSE.
When Security Essentials 2 is finally released, it will include heuristic abilities, which will allow it to detect malware that has not yet been added to its definition files. Symantec recently took a shot at MSE because of its dependence upon definitions, saying "Unique malware and social engineering attacks fly under the radar of traditional signature-based technology alone – which is what is employed by free security tools such as Microsoft's."
They'll no doubt be glad to know that Security Essentials 2 will be adding both behavior checking and tighter Web browser integration to its already strong defense system. MSE2 will also continue to be free, despite adding those new features.
Intrepid types can download the Security Essentials 2 beta from Microsoft Connect -- you'll need a Live account to get in, of course.
Thanks for the tip, Sean!
When Security Essentials 2 is finally released, it will include heuristic abilities, which will allow it to detect malware that has not yet been added to its definition files. Symantec recently took a shot at MSE because of its dependence upon definitions, saying "Unique malware and social engineering attacks fly under the radar of traditional signature-based technology alone – which is what is employed by free security tools such as Microsoft's."
They'll no doubt be glad to know that Security Essentials 2 will be adding both behavior checking and tighter Web browser integration to its already strong defense system. MSE2 will also continue to be free, despite adding those new features.
Intrepid types can download the Security Essentials 2 beta from Microsoft Connect -- you'll need a Live account to get in, of course.
Thanks for the tip, Sean!
Comments
13
Subscribe to commentsThomas JespersenNov 10th 2010 11:32AM
Is the browser integration still MSIE only?
LuciferNov 10th 2010 12:21PM
I'm afraid so ,which makes the browser integration pretty much useless for us (AKA geeks)
However i still believe that the three A's (Avira,Avast,AVG) offer better protection than MSE
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=286378
RichardNov 10th 2010 11:37AM
Fantastic stuff, especially for a freebie. :)
MxxConNov 10th 2010 11:39AM
um, where do you see "beta 2" being released?
i only see the version i'm running
7/19/2010 Microsoft Security Essentials Beta for 32-bit 2.0.0522.0 Build
7/19/2010 Microsoft Security Essentials Beta for 64-bit 2.0.0522.0 Build
MxxConNov 10th 2010 12:31PM
actually, i was wrong, i just checked regular windows updates and i see build 2.0.522 there.
MedlirNov 10th 2010 12:35PM
I'm guessing they just didn't update the date from the previous beta. I downloaded 2.0.0375 on July 21st.
Sax25Nov 10th 2010 1:12PM
I seriously hope MSE steps up its game. Everyone raves about it but its given nothing but grief to my girlfriends system. She's running Vista and I removed AVG and put MSE at the time it came out because of all the positive reviews. In the last 3 months alone, we have had to clean her system about 4 times - the last one being just 2 days ago and these are serious attacks where you cant do anything on the regular desktop that you have to go into safe mode and do a thorough clean. Thankfully Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Combofix always sort things out. Given the number of attacks however, I am inclined to move her back to something else. Pretty crappy that MSE only intergrates with IE and not other browsers such as Chrome which she uses. The fact that I have had to use Combofix 4 times already doesn't say much for the integrity of MSE.
ikeasangriaNov 10th 2010 1:43PM
Pretty sure it's not MSE fault, but the fault of you for letting your girlfriend use such a horrible OS.
The fact that she gets so many viruses on top of the shitty OS just says she clearly (or you) have no idea what you're talking about.
How about an upgrade?
BugMeNotNov 10th 2010 1:50PM
The problem is not the antivirus; The problem is you gave her an account with admin privileges. Make her a normal (non-admin) standard user, and she won't be able to accidentally click/install items. No ability to install software, less headache for you.
SeanBestNov 10th 2010 6:42PM
Woot, my tip made a story! Glad to see I wasn't the only one psyched to see this back. Missed it from the first MSE, but with MSE 2 beta being much nicer than the first MSE, I kept the beta, now that it's back, I'm a happy camper.
MxxConNov 11th 2010 1:10AM
actually MSE2 is not that much different from MSE1
TaylorNov 11th 2010 9:49AM
It is available via Windows update for those who installed the last beta version of MSE.
sahaskattaNov 13th 2010 6:19PM
I've always had right-click to scan with microsoft security essentials. I don't think this is new