No Relabeling for Microsoft Security Essentials, Just a New WSUS Category

Microsoft has worked to make updates for its free antivirus more accessible to business customers. In this regard, the Redmond giant informed that companies leveraging both Windows Server Update Services and Microsoft Security Essentials would be able to turn to the automated update management solution for delivering antimalware definitions to the free security solutions. Microsoft indicated that, despite the way Microsoft Security Essentials antimalware definitions were being offered through WSUS in terms of product and family monikers, the official label for the antivirus remained unchanged.

“There is a new product family (Microsoft Security Essentials) and product name (Security Essentials) WSUS in the admin console. Note that the addition of this product family and product name is only to accommodate the definition updates for Security Essentials. This is not a replacement or a rename for any current Microsoft a/v product,” Microsoft stated.

Formerly codenamed Morro, Microsoft Security Essentials is a free basic security solution available to all Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP users. The only limitation that the software giant imposed was that customers needed to be running genuine versions of the operating system noted above. With the availability of antimalware definitions through WSUS, admins can now better manage the updating of Microsoft Security Essentials.

“Microsoft Security Essentials is a core antimalware service for consumers and home-based small businesses that Microsoft released in September of 2009. This was done because academic institutions around the world (particularly in Asia) provide students with low cost or free internet access and provide students with update services through WSUS. Many students are protecting their computers with Security Essentials, and the universities requested that the definition updates be provided via WSUS,” the company added.

Microsoft Security Essentials is available for download here.