NEWS /
Microsoft Hopes to Capture the Desktop Security Market
22 Jan, 2009, 3:03 pm IST | by
tech2 News Staff
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With plans on hand to launch a free antivirus product, code-named "Morro," in the second half of this year, Microsoft is likely to remove Windows Live OneCare from the retail market. However, cautious consumers are not eagerly awaiting the new offering and are likely to stick to their current antivirus programs, given Microsoft's doubtful track record with antivirus applications. Way back in the 90’s, Microsoft had launched a free version of Central Point Anti-Virus (CPAV). However, it lacked an update capacity and recognized only 1000 known viruses. A decade later, when Microsoft started buying antispyware and antivirus companies, the commercial antivirus community looked on with anxiousness. Even before the first beta of Windows OneCare appeared in 2005, McAfee and Symantec decided to go neck and neck with the software giant on desktop security. Launched as a complete security product in May 2006, Windows Live OneCare had a revamped GeCAD antivirus engine, Microsoft Windows Defender antispyware protection, and the Windows Firewall, plus system diagnostic tools, backup capabilities, and a way to monitor home networking. OneCare did force changes within the antivirus community. McAfee responded in late 2006 with its McAfee Total Protection system, a suite offering home network monitoring and an enhanced version of the McAfee Internet Suite. The following year, Symantec introduced Norton 360, a more unified product that added online backup to Norton Internet Security. However, when independent antivirus testing began of OneCare, researchers blamed Microsoft for missing known malware. Security experts revealed that OneCare didn't meet the minimum requirements for participation. Early last year, further testing revealed that OneCare mistook Skype, a common voice-over-IP application, for a piece of adware. Now as the world anticipates Morro, Microsoft states: "This new, no-cost offering will give us the ability to protect an even greater number of consumers, especially in markets where the growth of new PC purchases is outpaced only by the growth of malware." Microsoft claims that Morro is not likely to have all of OneCare's features--the diagnostic tools, and probably backup. Instead, Morro will protect desktops against viruses, spyware, root kits, and trojan horses. But what is unknown is whether Microsoft will offer Morro to all users via Windows Update or make it standard in future OSs such as Windows 7 is unknown. Today, none of Microsoft’s security products have preempted commercial antispyware and firewall solutions. For the past eight years antivirus vendors have coexisted with the free version of AVG. It is likely that Morro may prompt Symantec, McAfee, and other security vendors to offer free versions of their own antivirus products. |
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