Microsoft Security Essentials

In September 2009, a new suite of antivirus and security applications were designed for Windows from Microsoft known as Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE).

Microsoft Security Essentials is a free antivirus program that protects your computer against rootkits, computer viruses, trojan horses, and spyware. Microsoft Security Essentials works with Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows XP.

Microsoft Security Essentials has been designed with the consumer in mind; therefore, Windows has made Microsoft Security Essentials easy to install, and once it is installed your system is protected. Microsoft Security Essentials automatically updates itself, so you don’t have to. Furthermore, Microsoft Security Essentials does not require any registration or personal information. All you need to do is download and go, and your computer is protected with the latest and greatest technology. In addition to the user-friendliness of this software, Microsoft Security Essentials can quietly run in the background and run system checks on your computer at the same time you are using it. Other similar applications require you to wait while the software is scanning your documents and checking for such things as viruses and spyware, but not Microsoft Security Essentials.

Another great feature of Microsoft Security Essentials is the fact that you can download the application on an unlimited number of computers in your household. The only requirement is that all of the computers must have a genuine copy of Microsoft Windows on them. Small businesses can also install Microsoft Security Essentials on up to ten computers within their facility. Unfortunately, such places like academic institutions, government agencies, and enterprises are prohibited from using Microsoft Security Essentials.

So how does Microsoft Security Essentials work? Well, once the application is installed, Microsoft Security Essentials checks for the validity of the operating system. Microsoft Security Essentials then checks for and downloads virus definition updates automatically. During this update, you will be prompted if the software finds a problem. At this prompt, Microsoft Security Essentials will ask for user input; however, if no response is received after ten minutes, Microsoft Security Essentials will determine what to do with the malware and handle the problem accordingly.

In addition to the prompts, the Microsoft Security Essentials homepage uses colors to visually show how the software is working with your computer. If you see a green icon on this homepage, this means that the security status of your computer is good and up to date. A yellow icon means that the status of your computer is fair or potentially unprotected. A red icon means that your computer is at risk and something must be done in order to protect your computer.

Before you rush out to purchase and install MSE, there are some system requirements. On Windows XP machines, MSE requires at least a 500MHz processor and 256MB of RAM. For those using Windows Vista and Windows 7, MSE requires a 1GHz processor and 1GB of RAM. All machines must have 140MB of free space, as well an internet connection.

Considering all of the other antivirus applications on the market today, Microsoft Security Essentials is a user-friendly solution, especially for those novice computer users. It is also a good buy for those keeping a close eye on their budget.

At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™