Good news on the Windows front.  On November 18th, Microsoft Announced they will be releasing a new Free Anti-Virus/Anti-Malware product Code Name “Morro.”  The product will be available the second half of 2009.  The press release also stated they would be killing off the Windows Live OneCare product effective June 30th, 2009.   I have to say; Microsoft continues to step up their security line.  They provide the best of breed Security/Software Update process for their Operating System (Apple is doing a pretty good job there as well) with Windows Update, and now they will be building AV into their products.  The best part about this is the next time a family member buys a PC and has me come over to “Clean” it before use; I won’t find crippled time bombed versions of McAfee Anti-Virus, or Norton spider-webbed throughout the PC.  Time savings of at least 30 minutes per PC.    Now granted, this isn’t the first time Microsoft is giving something away.  In a way, they are already scanning your PC monthly with their Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool or Code Name Titan.  But I’ll talk about this another day.   So, with the introduction of a Free AV Product, Microsoft now provides “Out of the Box”:

Automatic Security Updates for Microsoft Software & OSSoftware Firewall & IPSEC ManagementGroup Policy for all facets of Security on the OSAnti-Virus/Anti-Malware (Code Name “Morro”)Anti-Spyware (Windows Defender)

  Ouch…that has to hurt the legacy Crime Fighters AKA – McAfee, Symantec (Norton) and Trend Micro.  For the last 15 years, this has been their bread and butter of easy cash.  Do you think if these companies go out of business the number of Viruses they create out there will go down?  Hmm just a thought.   Honestly, although this will probably HURT the big Security Vendors, they have all been diversifying over the past several years (McAfee owns Foundstone & Secure Computing now), so we probably won’t see them vanish.  Plus, although Microsoft in their press release says Morro will be a free download for Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7, they don’t exactly say if it will be free for Corporations.  Additionally, nothing so far on the server side.  So I’m guessing unless MSFT has another announcement coming, then McAfee and Norton should be okay on the Gateway and Server side of AV.   Tags: anti-virus, av, malware, security, morro, microsoft, titan, freeware Comment

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