14 DAY TRIAL // A new release of Microsoft’s free security solution for Windows is now available for download. The Redmond company has made available for download extremely quietly the new version of Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 on February 17th, 2010. The latest release of MSE, formerly codenamed Morro, is currently up for grabs from the Microsoft Download Center, with no details available from the software giant as to what, if anything was changed with the antivirus.
“Microsoft Security Essentials is a free download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple. Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so you’re free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times,” Microsoft noted.
One thing that did change is the version of Microsoft Security Essentials. While the previous release of the security solution was 1.0.1611.0, with the latest iteration, it has jumped to 1.0.1959.0. Judging strictly by the difference in build numbers, Microsoft is bound to have introduced only minor changes in the antivirus, and nothing more.
Announced at the end of 2008, Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 was delivered in concert with the latest version of the Windows client, Windows 7. MSE is set up to kill off and replace Windows Live OneCare, while offering not a fully-fledged security suite, but rather a solution with very basic functionality. Customers still need to be running a genuine version of Windows in order to install Microsoft Security Essentials. The antivirus is compatible with both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 and Windows Vista and with 32-bit Windows XP.
Microsoft Security Essentials is available for download here.