Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 now available
Microsoft has just released Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0, a free anti-malware tool There are no major visible changes this time around, despite the jump in version number. But lurking just beneath the surface are some very worthwhile benefits.
Top of the list is a new network inspection system, which monitors network traffic to check for signs suspect behaviour. This can help block some known exploits, even if they’re been carried out by malware that Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 has never encountered before.
There’s also a new and improved antivirus engine, which Microsoft claims “offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities with better performance”. It will take time and lengthy testing to confirm that, but if true then Security Essentials 2.0 will be a very impressive product. Independent testers AV-Labs found that version 1.0 of the engine detected 97.6% of test samples in their last , and any significant improvement from this will see Security Essentials 2.0 up with the very best of the competition.
