A little over two weeks ago, Microsoft released Microsoft Security Essentials, a security software suite protecting users of Windows against malware and viruses. The company has released data about the number of downloads and fixed infections, and the results are encouraging.
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Member since:2008-12-13
The statement talks about it as a "voluntary community". Then says that you have to remain a member once opted in to continue to run MSE, and that's kind of OK.
But then later on:
"Running Microsoft Security Essentials requires you to be a member of Microsoft SpyNet."
Umm.. what?
Member since:2006-10-31
Member since:2006-07-04
Because when Windows Update runs each month, it runs the MSR (Malicious Software Removal) applet that searches for and cleans out malware in the most obvious places (i.e. a quick scan, not a full blown scan), and that sends statistics to Microsoft, even without the user joining SpyNet.
Really, it's only the privacy policy that prevents any software from reading data and sending it to the developer of that software over the internet (uless a firewall is disallowing it).
Member since:2006-08-25
Member since:
2006-07-04
As the article states, the data is gathered via "SpyNet".
When one installs MSE, the user is given the option to join SpyNet (the option is unchecked, by default), which allows MSE to send information regarding detected malware to SpyNet (i.e. Microsoft).
Here's the privacy statement:
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/privacy.aspx
Edited 2009-10-17 17:24 UTC