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Microsoft on Track to Offer Anti-Virus Software

Time: 01:16 EST/06:16 GMT | News Source: Reuters | Posted By: Robert Stein

ke Nash, chief of Microsoft's security business unit, told reporters that Microsoft is developing software to protect personal computers running Windows against malicious software, the worms and viruses that in recent years have plagued users with data loss, shutdowns and disruptions in Web traffic. "We're still planning to offer our own AV (anti-virus) product," Nash said. Asked if that would hurt sales of competing products, such as Network Associates' McAfee and Symantec's Norton family of products, Nash said that Microsoft said it would sell its anti-virus program as a separate product from Windows.

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Displaying Comments 1 through 16 of 16

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#1 By 23275 (68.17.42.38) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 01:57:39 AM

I agree, I'd certainly run it and see how it performed.

I'd bet it would run well and much lighter than other products.

I currently use Panda Software's line of personal, enterprise and appliance products and think they are very good; however, none of them are perfect.

I'd welcome Microsoft's entry into this area of increasing concern - I bet it would raise the bar, substantially.

#2 By 2960 (156.80.64.137) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 08:33:42 AM

I would be much happier if they would spend their efforts on securing the Operating System and Internet Explorer so I don't have to spend 50% of my support time removing Spyware from users computers, or re-imaging them because the stuff is so embedded nothing can find it.

Really, I would.

Or that Symantec would GET OFF IT'S ASS and start doing it's job. There is no excuse for SAV not catching these Viruses-and-Trojans-by-a-different-name.

Yes, I'm pissed. I spent 10 hours removing this s... Crap yesterday and I'm about fed up with it.

TL

#3 By 6859 (206.156.242.36) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 08:49:16 AM

Wow, I actually agree with every post so far!

Seriously, if MS can get AV to work well, and it doesn't slow the machine to death, and it doesn't cost too much then I'll give it a try. I mean, why not?

#4 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:25:07 AM

TL, I've also wondered the same thing about the AV vendors not adding anti-spyware capabilities into their products... and hopefully they aren't thinking of doing it as a separate product!! I know, though, that Trend Micro just released (I thought it was still in beta... I just checked their site, and whaddya know, it's out!) their latest OfficeScan version (6.5), and it contains anti-spyware functionality:

http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/osce/evaluate/features.htm

I have no idea how it works, but I'll find out soon. :) Anyhow, hopefully this will encourage other AV vendors to do the same. I agree--spyware should be treated no different than viruses, really.

It's funny, though... these products exist because of either exploitable bugs (pre-patch or unpatched), or because of social engineering and malicious techniques that get the user to screw up their own system. If MS attempts to make these attacks nearly impossible (as it appears they are trying to do), that too would hurt the AV vendors' businesses, perhaps even killing many of them (granted, I think most IT folks at least would be hesitant to drop their AV defenses...). So, just because MS may not offer this AV software bundled doesn't mean that these companies needn't worry, necessarily. It's an interesting position for MS--it's almost as if, in order not to hurt the AV vendors, they have to leave avenues of infection/malicious acts in the OS. So would they be under anti-competitive scrutiny if they were to close off these avenues???

#5 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:28:40 AM

Sorry, jumped the gun--looks like OfficeScan 6.5 won't be available until July 9th:

http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/osce/evaluate/trial1.htm

#6 By 135 (209.180.28.6) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:40:23 AM

Actually one positive function of Microsoft owning the antivirus market....

There would be less incentive for the antivirus companies to create viruses to justify their business.

#7 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 11:46:22 AM

Sodablue... that's funny, and I'm sure everyone has thought that at some point. Does anyone have any evidence that an AV company has done that, or is this just a conspiracy theory?

#8 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 12:52:56 PM

msucks, I don't think that it necessarily follows that MS's virus product would be crap, but you make a good point. At the same time, if their product really IS crap, they won't own the market.

#9 By 37 (67.37.29.142) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 02:44:29 PM

I am pretty confident that it will be a player...and probably a top player. They will have the marketing advantage, so long as they are priced properly. Typical users will think that if they buy Microsoft Windows, that buying Microsoft AV for Windows would be the most compatible solution. So I believe sales will start out strong. However, the direction could change once reviews hit the market, opinions are on the web, and ratings are in magazines. The success after the surge of sales will depend upon those items.

I will be the first to admit that I would dump my AVG Pro for MS AV in a heartbeat if it proves to be successful. We paid $350 for 15 licenses for a 2 year coverage on AVG, and I am willing to pay similar for MS AV or maybe a bit more.

#10 By 135 (209.180.28.6) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 03:13:11 PM

bluvg - I'm not sure how that is a conspiracy theory.

In the US anyway we work best when we have a healthy skepticism and distrust of large entities, whether govt or business. It's the american way.

#11 By 7754 (216.160.8.41) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 06:50:35 PM

Depends on how you measure. Linux is significantly less secure if you go by number of exploits, but significantly more if you go by number of successful compromises. Of course, the number of machines running Windows is also significantly greater than the number running Linux, so the latter is a rather unfair measure. ;)

#12 By 135 (208.186.90.168) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 07:35:44 PM

bluvg - I wouldn't be surprised that there are more sucessful compromises today on Linux boxen than Windows, because of the attention paid towards Windows administration.

msucks - Keep trying. I should give you my VIC-20 so you can get up to speed on modern computers.

#13 By 931 (66.180.122.195) at Wednesday, June 16, 2004 08:42:12 PM

I wish ms would just provide a some av api's in longhorn, and on top of that build in a bare bones scanning\on-access engine that they would update from time to time via SP's and say quarterly\monthly updates. This would provide the basic joe blow with a base level of protection from known high profile virus while at the same time keeping the need for the other players in the market. Basicly provide the plumbing and pitch the os embedded software as a fallback, or backstop.

#14 By 19992 (164.214.4.61) at Thursday, June 17, 2004 08:59:21 AM

#22 I think this would be more appropriatly branded as MWAV.exe version 2.

#15 By 19992 (164.214.4.61) at Thursday, June 17, 2004 08:59:59 AM

#23 Depends on the IT shop that deploys and maintains the servers.

#16 By 19992 (164.214.4.61) at Thursday, June 17, 2004 09:02:49 AM

I don't see a problem with MS entering the AV market. I just hope they realize that most IT businesses aren't going to buy into it until it has a proven track record. Once it recieves a few VB100s I'll take a look at it.

I just hope that none of the code for this new offering comes from cpav :)

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