14 DAY TRIAL // Whether they’re running Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 or 2.0, users that are currently leveraging the free security solution for genuine Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP will be able to update their current version this week. The software giant had planned to release a refresh to Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0’s AntiMalware engine today, November 15th.
This is nothing more than a monthly update to MSE 1.0 designed to keep up the pace with the evolution of the threat environment.
“As part of regular update of our antimalware technology to address the latest in the threat landscape, MMPC is planning to release a new antimalware engine on 15 November 2010,” a member of the Microsoft Antimalware Engine team stated last week.
“Affected products: Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), Forefront Client Security (FCS) Engine Version will be in the range of 1.1.640X.0.”
However, it appears that the release of the update was delayed until November 16th. “The release date of Antimalware Engine 1.1.640X.0 has changed from 15 November 2010 to 16 November 2010,” the Redmond company revealed.
In addition to MSE 1.0 with the new 1.1.640X.0 antimalware engine, early adopters testing the next major version of Microsoft Security Essentials will also be prompted to update their Beta Builds, if this hasn’t happened already.
Last week, Microsoft delivered a Beta Refresh to Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0, namely Build 2.0.522.0.
This release is available for download either through Windows Update for users that previously had the MSE 2.0 Beta installed, or as a standalone release through Microsoft Connect.
Customers running Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0, need to understand that Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 Build 2.0.522.0 is still a Beta development milestone.
This means that if they will make the jump to MSE 2.0, they would be running pre-release software, and unless they feel comfortable with testing a Beta of MSE they should stick with version 1.0 until Microsoft Security Essentials 2.0 is released to manufacturing, which will reportedly happen by the end of this year.
Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 is available for download here.