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Microsoft Security Essentials 2 available for download, now an even better free antivirus for Windows
And it's just gotten better, with the official arrival of Security Essentials 2. The upgrade adds several key improvements, not the least of which is a heuristic scanning engine. One of the big knocks against its predecessor was that MSE's protection relied too heavily upon definitions -- and in today's ever-changing threat landscape, definitions just aren't enough. Still, I never had a single machine at home become infected while running MSE 1, so now that version 2 includes heuristic kung-fu I'm even less concerned about the safety of my Windows PCs.
MSE 2 also offers improved defense by better integrating with existing Windows features. The updated app adds muscle to the Windows Firewall and Internet Explorer to offer increased protection against network and Web-based threats. There's also a new network inspection feature which uses the Windows Filtering Platform in Vista and Windows 7 -- XP users won't benefit from this feature, obviously.
If you're already running MSE, check your update tab for an upgrade notification -- your system tray icon may also be orange if the update is available. You can also download Security Essentials 2 manually from this page and install over the old version.
Comments
14
Subscribe to commentsSoupkinDec 17th 2010 7:52AM
I stopped using MSE when it turned windows updates back on. After I set it never to check or download updates, it forced a restart.
downloadsquadDec 17th 2010 8:03AM
@Soupkin any particular reason that you disabled updates?
KevinDec 17th 2010 9:52PM
@Soupkin
I quit using MSE for the exact same reason. I like being in full control of what updates Microsoft pushes in Windows Update, yet I always want my AV to automatically update definitions. MS made those things mutually exclusive with MSE unfortunately for some power users so I went with Avast 5 (and recently switched over to Panda Cloud).
KualaBeeDec 17th 2010 8:24AM
Does anybody know if MSE V 1 automatically updates to version 2?
EuroSceptiCDec 17th 2010 9:14AM
I use version 2 since first beta. Extremely smooth Anti-Virus. Never a problem came up.
Not a chance since I adopted MSE to use another.
EuroSceptiCDec 17th 2010 9:16AM
Also, version 2 gives you the opportunity to disable SpyNET by choice while in Version 1 if you wanted to, you could do it with a "hack".
gtdDec 19th 2010 5:55PM
I tried the first MSE on a P4 machine running XP, and for me it slowed down my computer comparative to even AVG. I turned to Panda and have installed it on all my family/friends computers as well, and have not been infected in the last year. Not a resourse hog at all, would take quite a bit to switch from that.
ShawnDec 22nd 2010 11:27AM
@gtd
No offense, man, but you were running software (MSEv1) released in 2009 on a CPU (P4) released in 2000. Thats 9 years. Intel was releasing Dual Core and better chips at that time.
Then again, maybe you just forgot to overclock it :p
(just teasing, man)
delete2endDec 17th 2010 7:53PM
+1 for Panda Cloud as its far better than MSE 1 or 2.
FezDec 18th 2010 3:45AM
Right when they say that the readers love MSE, you bitches start posting :P.
EuroSceptiCDec 19th 2010 3:50AM
In a P4 PC even the Notepad can slow down your machine. This normally belongs to a museum with Greek ancient history.
peteDec 21st 2010 8:23AM
@EuroSceptiC
You mean Geek Ancient History
KualaBeeDec 22nd 2010 5:08AM
@pete
Ancient Greek History?
mohsenu88Dec 25th 2010 5:25AM
i used mse 1 for couple of months
at first it was ok,but after 2 weeks i noticed that mse slowed down my PC
so i turned back to avast,since then i don't even like the paid anti viruses
i use avast 5 along with immunet protect(its the best match)
so i don't even bother trying mse2
only my opinion,so you don't have to agree
i also used avg, Avira, panda, symantec, Norton, nod32, comodo