Microsoft Security Essentials does, however, lack Windows Defender’s enhanced protection against rootkits and bootkits. Microsoft Security Essentials was introduced in 2008 as a free antivirus solution maintaining adequate protection for workstations running Windows. With the boot process shielded and cryptographic routines. Windows Defenderīoth Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender offer real-time protection against viruses, rootkits, spyware and other malicious software to go along with online and offline system scanning and cleaning. Microsoft has taken the bold step of requiring essential security hardware, even though it means some PCs won’t be able to upgrade. Instead, the company includes a successor to Security Essentials called Windows Defender that is built into the operating system.Īnd while Microsoft initially offered support for Microsoft Security Essentials on Windows XP, the company has since discontinued supporting the tool on this operating system. While Microsoft continues to offer Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows Vista and Windows 7, the tool cannot be used on Windows 8 or newer OSes. Microsoft Security Essentials is a free anti-malware tool available for Microsoft’s Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems that is designed to protect computers from viruses, spyware and other forms of malware.

Microsoft security essentials review