Wednesday, 25 October 2006

Microsoft Releases Final Version of Windows Defender

Microsoft has released the final version of its proprietary antispyware application, Windows Defender. The security tool, which saw its last public beta release in February, is a free download for US customers running Windows and promises to protect PC owners from malicious spyware hacks entering their systems.

The final release fixes about 400 bugs in beta 2 of the product, which was released in February. Beta versions of the program were downloaded 34 million times, a Microsoft spokesperson said. Along with the bug fixes, customers using Windows XP and Windows 2003 get two free support calls for Windows Defender. The product is no longer supported for Windows 2000 users, since support for that OS ended in June, Microsoft said.

There is looming controversy over Windows Vista and the access that's been provided to companies like Symantec and McAfee, two of the most prolific PC security providers. They claim Microsoft has not allowed them to explore a 'kernel-level security feature' in Vista called PatchGuard.

Microsoft security expert Sandi Hardmeier is less than sympathetic, however. "If McAfee and Symantec did a little more coding and a little less complaining, they might get somewhere," she said in one of her blog entries.