# Goodbye Microsoft Security Essentials



## ekim68 (Jul 8, 2003)

> Microsoft Security Essentials (Windows Defender on Windows 8) was once on top. Over the years, its slid in the test results, but Microsoft argued the tests werent meaningful. Now, Microsoft is advising Windows users to use a third-party antivirus instead.
> 
> This revelation comes to us from an interview Microsoft gave. Microsofts official website still bills MSE as offering comprehensive malware protection without any hint that they no longer recommend using it. Microsoft is not communicating well with its users.


Here


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## blues_harp28 (Jan 9, 2005)

An interesting article Mike.
I have never used MSE and now have more reasons not to.


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## ekim68 (Jul 8, 2003)

I have used MSE on some machines that had lower processing speed and lower memory, less than 1 gig, because it was not as ubiquitous as a lot of the other AV's with their system protection properties...When those AV's started providing firewalls and internet protection the older machines slowed down to a crawl...But the handwriting is on the wall, so to speak...


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

I still don't know; there's certainly some ominous evidence, but from my reading Microsoft is actively supporting other AVs in order to create greater diversity in the security market, which makes it hard to say that MSE is actually weak. 
Even so, I'd certainly be more careful now in recommending MSE.


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## dvk01 (Dec 14, 2002)

Not again
Another misquote for the Microsoft "spokesperson" 

What was intended to be said was that MSE is a basic antivirus and that although it is designed to protect and does protect very well from threats that currently affect windows computers. 
What Microsoft have decided to do is to stop artificially tweaking MSE so that it gets good results in Anti-Virus tests. 

The majority of people within the anti-malware community approve of this decision and MSE uses the same detection engine and malware definition set that is used by the corporate paid for Forefront, which is widely acknowledged to be an industry leader. 
I see no reason to stop recommending or using MSE ( or Defender in Win 8 ) as it still protects just as much as any of the other commonly available Anti-viruses. 

Remember MSE/Defender is designed and intended to be used in co-operation with smart screen filter in IE, so is much less efficient in XP which is stuck with IE8 and a less robust smart screen 

To satisfy various anti-trust organisations both in EU and US and to a lesser degree in Asia, Microsoft are not allowed to push MSE and have to advise on the availability of other competing anti-malware programs, in the same way that have to do with browsers. 

All I will add is that MSE is less effective on any system where IE isn't being used as a browser because there is no smart filter or web based block on infected websites. However in the majority of other competing antiviruses, the web filter is often an addon or not enabled by default

To sum up, if you use Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8. and use IE as your browser, then MSE/Defender will protect you as well as any other antivirus against prevalent threats.

Yes some programs will detect more adware and spyware and browser addons than others, but for currently prevalent malware, MSE is as good in the real world as anything else, despite what certain testing organisation who are being paid by competing companies will say.


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## valis (Sep 24, 2004)

thanks for that writeup, Derek....clears quite a bit up.


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## ekim68 (Jul 8, 2003)

I thank you for that too Derek...:up:


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