'Microsoft Security Essentials' a threat for Symantec, McAfee
By siliconindia   |   Friday, 19 June 2009, 20:09 IST   |    1 Comments
Printer Print Email Email
'Microsoft Security Essentials' a threat for Symantec, McAfee
Bangalore: Software giant Microsoft is all set to launch a PC security service namely 'Microsoft Security Essentials' next week which could be the biggest threat for anti-virus companies with billions of dollars in annual revenue. Industry analysts who previewed the service said its features and quality are on par with anti-virus products from Symantec and McAfee that cost about $40 per year. "This is good news for consumers but bad news for competitors, " said Roger Kay, a PC industry analyst, Endpoint Technologies Associates. This product will be very handful to protect computers from malicious softwares, viruses, spywares, trojans and rootkits. If its scanner detects a suspicious file that is not yet registered as malware, the program alerts Microsoft researchers for further investigation. However, security companies do not see Microsoft product as threat for them. Executives with Symantec and McAfee dismiss it as a lightweight alternative to full protection that they offer in their top-selling security suites. They say, "Microsoft's product can only fight malicious software. The best-selling products from security companies bundle in other features such as encryption, firewalls, data backup and parental controls." Rob Enderle, Analyst, Enderle Group says, "Consumers do not need all those bells and whistles. If what is 'good enough' is free, how you do justify paying more?" Microsoft said, "Beta version of this product will be available on their website on June 23. The company plans to offer a final version by this fall."

Digital Supply Chain Transformation – Winning the AI/ML Way