Microsoft's Free Antivirus Software Actually Works!

Program performs well in stress test

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 1, 2009 1:00 PM CDT

(Newser) – Want a great, free antivirus program from a big software brand? OK, it’s from Microsoft, and … wait! Come back! Believe it or not, Microsoft’s new Security Essentials software is pretty darn good. AV-Test.org ran it through a bevy of tests and found the freebie performed admirably. In its first outing, it nabbed all 3,700 viruses, Trojans, and worms that testers threw at it.

Then they loosed it on a computer already infected with 545,344 malware samples, and it scrubbed 98.4% of them. It’s relatively efficient, too. A full scan took a whopping 8 hours in a Boston Globe test, but used so little CPU that the system ran smoothly in the meantime. It’s not perfect: It can’t detect unknown menaces, and sometimes leaves benign bits of malware behind. But it’s pretty great for the price.

Microsoft Security Essentials is actually pretty good, tests show. (Shutterstock)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 22 comments

divetrader

Oct 2, 2009 12:04 PM CDT

No way! I don't believe it. MS came out with something for free???

Unaffiliated

Oct 1, 2009 9:15 AM CDT

Nice, a coding horror reference on newser!

myvoice

Oct 1, 2009 8:51 AM CDT

2bits... good link! Makes me wonder if in the corporate world IT ( where i work) would it be less expensive to remove antivirus from the PC's and just rebuild them everyone time one crashes. And use a desktop backup like connected. I wonder if I can convince management to do this? :)

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Microsoft's Free Antivirus Software Actually Works!

Program performs well in stress test

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Microsoft • Windows • computer virus • spyware • computer security • malware • antivirus • Security Essentials

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Microsoft on Comeback Trail

It's got some 'just plain great' products, writes Farhad Manjoo

Nokia Unveils New Windows Smartphones

Spanish-speakers snigger at name 'Lumia'

'Son of Stuxnet' Worm Found in Europe

Duqu designed to gather information on industrial systems, Symantec says

US Drones Infected With Virus

Someone is logging the keystrokes of drone operators

Look Out, iPad: Windows 8 a Contender

But a lot can happen in a year, note reviewers

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

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What is Newser?