Windows 7 Should I Switch from Microsoft Security Essentials Due to Its Potential Discontinuation?

[rdutton]

Running win 7 with Microsoft Security Essentials.. No Problem, but I read somewhere that Microsoft was going to abandon Security essentials.. Should I switch or was it just a rumor.

 

[davidhk129]

I am no security expert.
However, I have read this article and it is bad news for MSE......
excerpt:
In Link Removed, Holly Stewart, the senior program manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, said that Microsoft Security Essentials was just a “baseline” that’s designed to “always be on the bottom” of antivirus tests. She said Microsoft sees MSE as a first layer of protection and advises Windows users to use a third-party antivirus instead.

click this Source to read the entire article.

 

[Joe S]

I tried it and dumped it after it quit running for no reason a few times. There have been reports all year from mutiple sources that Security Essentials is at the bottom of the list when compared to other AV products. AV Comparatives http://www.av-comparatives.org/ one of the testing groups pulled it's certification months ago. I switched to Avast Free.
Joe

 

[rdutton]

I thought so,,,was suspicious when Mal Bytes was picking up malware and Essentials was not--
dropped essentials, put Norton back to work..

 

[davidhk129]

......... put Link Removed back to work..........

If you have already purchased Norton, then go ahead use it. No point to waste money.

If not, I would suggest you try something free, such as Avast which has a free edition.
I use that on both my Win 7 and my Win 8.1.

 

[rdutton]

I have downloaded Norton from Comcast--they furnish it free to Xfinity/Comcast users..
Thank you for the tip though,
Bob