Microsoft have released their free anti-virus and anti-malware software (codenamed 'Morro') to the public, under the name of 'Microsoft Security Essentials'.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2007-06-16
So you are one of the believers that other OS are immune to viruses?
Keep dreaming fool! It is all about market share!
Why isn't Photoshop release for anything but Windows? Do you think that Adobe would not make a Linux version if they could make money with it? Like I told you earlier, it is about marker share.
Member since:2007-02-17
Linux has a lion's share of the server market. Presumably there is more important data held on servers than on desktop machines.
BTW, the GIMP is coming out soon at version 2.8. It will have a choice of traditional GUI or a single-window MDI mode, and it now supports wider colourspaces through GEGL. There is far too much competition in the Linux market for Adobe to be able to sell their hugely expensive paint program.
Member since:2009-09-30
True, but don't forget about the other route infections make it onto a machine - thru security holes/bugs in 3rd-party software, such as java, flash, video players, all the browser add-ons and extensions, etc. etc.
We'd still need a good AV to stop those, unless a complete re-architect of the OS is done to sandbox every single application/plug-in that runs on it...
Member since:2007-02-17
Or perhaps we could add "execute permission" flags in the filesystems that could only be set via a local authorised user supplying a correct password, and we could make the kernel honour the execute permission flags instead of just running any file at all without question.
Or perhaps in addition we could make it so that every person who might want to run the code gets to examine the source code if they want to, and they can all verify that the source code makes the as-distributed executable, so that it can be audited before it gets to run on any end users systems.
Oh, wait ...
Edited 2009-09-30 23:22 UTC
Member since:2006-07-04
Lots of malware doesn't rely on holes/flaws in the OS.
For example, I recently got hit by the "Delphi" virus. It's a virus that affects the Delphi development environment, and infects any program compiled by that Delphi environment. I happened to use a Delphi-built program and my anti-malware program detected it. I had to get an update from the developer to get a virus-clean version of the program. This virus doesn't rely on any OS holes at all. As it turns out, all the virus does is spread, and only spreads if it finds a Delphi environment on the system. If the virus code actually tried something nasty, then it might rely on an OS hole to do so (though, something like trashing the user's home directory wouldn't require any holes).
Here's a description of the Delphi virus, discovered just last month:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10312628-245.html
http://delphi.about.com/od/humorandfun/f/w32-induc-a-delphi-virus.h...
Other malware rely on holes that have been plugged by security updates, but people haven't applied the updates.
Also, if I read what you're saying correctly, Microosft already does what you're suggesting. When a hole is discovered, a security update is issued with the next month's scheduled update, or an out-of-cycle update is released if the problem is urgent enough. And each schedulted security update runs a malware quickscan that cleans out viruses that are on the system.
Edited 2009-09-30 17:13 UTC
Member since:2009-10-01
They could patch every hole and lock it up tight, but that's not going to stop users downloading and running meganfoxnude.exe
Member since:
2008-07-15
I just have one question: If Microsoft is competent to release what most seem to think is a decent AV and security sweet, why not just redirect that competence into plugging up your os in the first place? They have all those security features in the NT kernel, but rarely are they ever used and instead Microsoft waste time with things like UAC while giving their own programs a backdoor through it. Now, they develop an av solution... why not just fix it in the first place? Keep on top of the os with windows update while keeping this as a way to clean viruses that already have taken root, but when the av finds something immediately put it on the list of things to investigate and plug up for good. They did it with conficker after all, so they are capable of it. Conficker spread because of millions of outdated computers, and if users can't use windows update due to pirated copies of Windows or whatever reason, then this av software updating through windows update isn't going to help them either.