Hi there,
Microsoft has finally released their free anti virus solution codenamed “Morro” and AKA Microsoft Security Essentials to limited public beta users.
The download is available to users of Microsoft Connect, so you will need to sign in using your Windows live id and then take part in a Microsoft Connect survey before you can download the software. But now you can download it from our website directly without registering 
What is Microsoft Security Essentials?
You’re too busy to spend a lot of time worrying about protecting your PC. With Microsoft Security Essentials Beta, you get high-quality protection against viruses and spyware, including Trojans, worms and other malicious software. And best of all, there are no costs or annoying subscriptions to keep track of.
Security Essentials is easy to install and easy to use. Updates and upgrades are automatic, so there’s no need to worry about having the latest protection. It’s easy to tell if you’re protected – when the Security Essentials icon is green, your status is good. It’s as simple as that.
When you’re busy using your PC, you don’t want to be bothered by needless alerts. Security Essentials runs quietly in the background, only alerting you if there’s something you need to do. And it doesn’t use a lot of system resources, so it won’t get in the way of your work or fun.
This beta is available only to customers in the United States, United Kingdom, Israel (English only), People’s Republic of China (Simplified Chinese only) and Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese only).
Download from this URL:
Microsoft is getting ready to unveil a long-anticipated free anti-virus service for personal computers that will compete with products sold by Symantec and McAfee.
A Microsoft spokesman said on Wednesday that the world’s biggest software maker is testing an early version of the product with its own employees. Microsoft would “soon” make a trial version, or product beta, available via its website, he added, but declined to provide a specific date.
Investors are closely monitoring the free service, code-named Morro after Brazil’s Morro de Sao Paolo beach, amid concern it could hurt sales of products from Symantec and McAfee, which generate billions of dollars of revenue a year protecting Windows PCs from attacks by hackers.
“It’s a long-term competitive threat,” said Daniel Ives, an analyst with FBR Capital Markets, though he added that the near-term impact was minimal.
Microsoft has said that Morro will offer basic features for fighting a wide range of viruses, which would likely make it comparable to low-end consumer products from Symantec and McAfee that cost about $US40 per year.
Redmond, Washington — Facing a trickled sales for the past three years, the Redmond, Washington, software makers’ Live OneCare anti-malware product is about to be revolutionized with a long-awaited free anti-virus software codenamed “Morro,” currently being tested internally and will be released soon in beta that will focus much more strongly on security and malware protection, besides competing with applications marketed by Symantec Corp. and McAfee Inc., according to a company spokesperson.
A Microsoft spokesman last week confirmed that the world’s biggest software maker is geared-up to release an early version of the product with its own employees. Microsoft would “soon” make a trial version, or product beta, available via its website, he added, but declined to provide a specific date.
According to Microsoft’s spokesperson, presently it is vague what Morro will be and speculations currently range from a very basic malware package that compares to other free offerings available from companies such as Grisoft to a full replacement for Microsoft’s commercial OneCare anti-malware solution, a product that never was as successful as Microsoft had hoped.
Codenamed “Morro,” the anti-malware application is promised to offer “basic protection” against common threats from malware on the Internet. The company has said Morro will be released by the end of the year.
Commentary–Microsoft is to replace its paid-for antivirus product with a free one, citing an altruistic desire to spread protection around the world. But many are less convinced about the company’s true motives, says internet-security expert Mary Landesman of ScanSafe.
Microsoft recently announced it was doing away with its subscription-based consumer security suite, Windows Live OneCare. In its place, Microsoft plans a free, standalone antivirus product, code-named ‘Morro’, which, the company says, will meet the needs of emerging markets. Countries cited by Microsoft as being in this category include Brazil, China and India.
Microsoft’s motives
Some have suggested poor market share is the driving force behind the decision. Others point to competitive motives, as Microsoft aims to put pressure on rival antivirus vendors Symantec and McAfee.
According to Microsoft, the move is much more altruistic. It is intended to “remove the barriers” that keep a large percentage of consumers from installing and using anti-malware protection. However, if protecting emerging markets really is the goal, the decision certainly doesn’t appear to be tied to infection rates.
Microsoft is getting serious about global security, offering a free anti-malware package code-named Morro that has been specially designed for low cost PCs in developing nations.
The software will be available in the second half of 2009 and will provide ‘comprehensive protection’ from ‘the majority of online threats’, including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans.
Morro is based on – and will replace – the current Windows Live OneCare subscription service, although it has been architected to use fewer computing resources, making it ideal for low-bandwidth scenarios or less powerful PCs.
Also destined for the chop is Equipt, Microsoft’s shortlived excursion into consumer software-as-a-service, offering cloud storage of files, updates to Microsoft Office packages and Windows Live OneCare, for an annual cost of £59. Microsoft Equipt launched just one month ago.
Microsoft vs malware
Amy Barzdukas, Senior Director at Microsoft, said: “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.”
Morro will deliver the same core protection against malware as Microsoft’s enterprise solutions, but without the additional non-security features found in many consumer security suites, which probably means password managers, identity protection software and online secure storage.
“By offering basic protection at no charge to the consumer, Microsoft is promoting a safer environment for PCs, service providers and e-commerce itself, since it is through unprotected PCs that the worst threats are introduced to the system as a whole,” said Roger Kay, Founder of Endpoint Technologies Associates.
Still busy looking for free anti-virus, anti-malware or anti-spyware security protection product? Most Windows users do not have such a worry by second half of 2009, as Microsoft has announced plan to offer a no-cost consumer security offering to “address the growing need for a PC security solution tailored to the demands of emerging markets, smaller PC form factors and rapid increases in the incidence of malware”.
The new security offering, code-named as “Morro” will feature streamlined solution with smaller footprint that focuses on core anti-malware protection and will provide comprehensive protection from malware including viruses, spyware, rootkits and Trojans, according to Microsoft press release. The security product won’t provide additional non-security features or advanced functions that comes with commercial consumer security suites from other third-party vendors. Possible exclusion includes firewall.
To address the growing need for a PC security solution tailored to the demands of emerging markets, smaller PC form factors and rapid increases in the incidence of malware, Microsoft Corp. plans to offer a new consumer security offering focused on core anti-malware protection.
Code-named “Morro,” this streamlined solution will be available in the second half of 2009 and will provide comprehensive protection from malware including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans. This new solution, to be offered at no charge to consumers, will be architected for a smaller footprint that will use fewer computing resources, making it ideal for low-bandwidth scenarios or less powerful PCs. As part of Microsoft’s move to focus on this simplified offering, the company also announced today that it will discontinue retail sales of its Windows Live OneCare subscription service effective June 30, 2009.
