{"id":30540,"date":"2013-10-16T06:00:13","date_gmt":"2013-10-16T13:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=30540"},"modified":"2025-08-18T01:12:55","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T08:12:55","slug":"microsoft-agrees-home-users-need-more-than-antivirus-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/microsoft-agrees-home-users-need-more-than-antivirus-alone\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft Agrees: Home Users Need More than Antivirus Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"

After years of telling users that Microsoft Security Essentials was enough to protect their PCs from security threats, Microsoft has begun to sing a different tune. In an interview conducted by PC Magazine, Microsoft\u2019s Senior Program Manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, Holly Stewart, admitted that Microsoft provides its users with only a \u201cbaseline\u201d of protection against online computer threats<\/a>. Stewart further noted that Microsoft\u2019s Security Essentials (MSE) would likely continue to place at the bottom of antivirus software rankings. If you\u2019re a PC owner relying exclusively on the security solution that came pre-installed on your machine, it might be time to beef up your security.<\/p>\n

Microsoft Security Essentials is said to offer<\/a> \u201caward-winning protection\u201d against viruses, Trojans<\/a>, worms<\/a>, and spyware<\/a> \u2013 yet the solution has failed to earn AV-Test Certification for two years running<\/a>. And now the software and hardware giant is publicly stating that its product is less comprehensive than third-party offerings. Why?<\/p>\n

According to Stewart, in 2011 Microsoft decided it no longer made sense to focus on developing the top antivirus software in the industry. This is understandable when a number of other vendors specialize exclusively in security Instead, Microsoft has shifted to targeting \u201cprevalent\u201d and \u201cemerging\u201d threats, and sharing this data within the security industry, which enables third-party vendors to make their offerings more robust and comprehensive. Microsoft\u2019s decision to aid the greater security community by providing user data and insights could lead to stronger security for all PC users.<\/p>\n

While basic antivirus protection is an essential requirement, the rapidly evolving threat landscape requires that additional security measures be provided to deliver the safest possible online experience since we rely on our computers to hold all types of data from photos and movies to emails and our most sensitive documents such as tax documents and financial records.<\/p>\n

Steps to Have Peace of Mind<\/h2>\n

A complete security offering for your Internet connected devices looks at more than just detection and virus elimination. For example, strong security software will warn you before you enter a risky website, regardless of what browser you prefer, instead of waiting until you\u2019ve already encountered (and possibly downloaded) malware<\/a>. It will allow you to establish a trusted connection to the Internet. To enable you to connect with confidence and enjoy peace of mind follow the steps below:<\/p>\n