Microsoft Security Essentials has been having a tough time with AV tests for quite some time and now, Microsoft has finally admitted that the security software is not sufficient to protect users from high-level threats.
Security Essentials was launched back in 2009 to provide reliable protection from viruses and malwares to Windows users for free. It has become the most used anti-virus software for Windows since then. Microsoft has actively supported this software and has also integrated it within Windows 8 as part of Windows Defender. However, consistent failures in clearing AV tests have raised concerns from users in recent times.
Holly Stewart, senior program manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, has told Dennis Technology Labs in an interview that Security Essentials is intended to provide "baseline" protection and recommended that users install an anti-virus on top of it for better security from advanced threats.
Stewart said,
"It’s not as efficient to have one kind of weapon. Like anything you must have that diversity. It’s a weakness to just have one."
She has revealed that, feedback received from Security Essentials is shared with other anti-virus companies in order to create overall better security and expects MSE to stay at the bottom while doing so. According to Stewart, "baseline" does not translate as bad but rather a high quality basic protection to those users who choose not to buy another anti-virus for their Windows PCs.
Complete summary of the interview can be found at Dennis Technology Labs" affiliate site PC Pro.
Source: PC Pro