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Microsoft discontinues Windows Live OneCare – offers lightweight alternative for free
LiveSide - Windows Live news and interviews — Microsoft just announced that it is discontinuing Windows Live OneCare from 2009, replacing it with a free lightweight alternative, codenamed “Morro”.  The new product will be available towards the end of 2009, and provide complete malware protection to consumers, at no cost. This is in contrast to Windows Live Onecare, which currently offers malware protection, backup, online photo backup, multiple machine monitoring and a firewall. However these features come with a price tag of around $30 for 3 machines. Windows Live OneCare subscriptions will stop being sold via retail channels from 30 June 2009, though direct sales via Microsoft will stop ...

Microsoft discontinuing OneCare, will deliver free security offering instead
SuperSite Blog — Finally. This is exactly what I said Microsoft should be when it announced that it would actually charge consumers to fix the security problems with Windows. No more: To address the growing need for a PC security solution tailored to the demands of emerging markets, smaller PC form factors and rapid increases in the incidence of malware, Microsoft Corp. plans to offer a new consumer security offering focused on core anti-malware protection. Code-named “Morro,” this streamlined solution will be available in the second half of 2009 and will provide comprehensive protection from malware including viruses, spyware, ...

Microsoft offering free security program in 2009
TechBlog — ... , which is available via download to Windows XP users, and is included in Windows Vista. There's also a basic firewall built into both versions of Windows. But it currently doesn't give away an antivirus program. From the company's news release : To address the growing need for a PC security solution tailored to the demands of emerging markets, smaller PC form factors and rapid increases in the incidence of malware, Microsoft Corp. plans to offer a new consumer security offering focused on core anti-malware protection. Code-named "Morro," this streamlined solution will be ...

Microsoft Plans Free Security Offerings
The Blade by Ron Schenone, MVP — Microsoft is planning a new security offering code name ‘morro’, which the software giant hopes with curb the tide of malware infecting our systems. In addition Microsoft will stop making the paid subscription version of Windows Live OneCare effective June 30, 2009.  According to the press release Microsoft states: “Customers around the world have told us that they need comprehensive, ongoing protection from new and existing threats, and we take that concern seriously,” said Amy Barzdukas, senior director of product management for the Online Services and Windows Division at Microsoft. “This new, no-cost offering will give us the ...

Microsoft's OneCare Replacement: Is Free Good For You?
InformationWeek - All Stories And Blogs — Topics: Microsoft Microsoft's OneCare Replacement: Is Free Good For You? Posted by Dave Methvin , Nov 18, 2008 09:59 PM [image] When Microsoft announced its Windows OneCare utility suite back in 2005, there was a lot of speculation about what it would mean for security powerhouses like Symantec and McAfee. The answer turned out to be, "not much." Now that Microsoft has announced OneCare's replacement , a free anti-malware product code-named "Morro", security companies should be a lot more concerned. After only a few years in the for-pay consumer security market, Microsoft threw in the towel. It's hard to blame them, because ...

Microsoft replaces OneCare with free service
The Microsoft Blog — Microsoft said Tuesday it would discontinue its $49.95 a year Windows Live OneCare product, which offers malware protection, and replace it with a free product in order to speed adoption of security software around the world. The company said that the new service -- code-named "Morro" -- was designed to make it simple for users in developing countries to protect their PCs. From an interview with Amy Barzdukas, senior director of product management, on the Microsoft Web site : In some ways the current business model for consumer security is not meeting the needs of many consumers, including those in emerging markets where cost and hardware requirements ...

More free stuff from Google and Microsoft
SEO and Tech Daily — It was just a couple of days ago that in a piece about Microsoft, I suggested it might be prime time to return to the old MS model of 'giving stuff away' to try and capture large chunks of online market share. There is no better time than an 'economic downturn' to win users, potentially over the long term, by providing some important products for FREE. Google and Microsoft (and others) have spent millions developing and / or acquiring software over the last decade.  While their internal development and deployment approaches differ, they have made 'some' products readily available to the public.  Google, in particular, has rolled out one ...

Microsoft Kills One Security Suite, Launches Another
Technologizer — onecarelogo Microsoft announced today that it’s working on a new security suite code-named “Morro.” Um, doesn’t doesn’t the company already have a security suite offering– Windows Live OneCare ? Yup, but part of today’s announcement is that it’s planning to discontinue OneCare, which had only been around since May, 2006, on June 30th, 2009. And while OneCare costs $50 a year for up to three computers, Morro will be free. Why the switch in strategy? Microsoft says that it’s making Morro a mean, lean product that won’t be too piggy when it comes to system resources, and Senior Director of Product Management Amy Barzdukas is quoted in the release as ...

Microsoft Will Fight Viruses for Free but Is It Fair to Other Fighters?
Profy — It looks like Microsoft is ready to try and compete everywhere when it comes to software - same as Google now does everywhere online. Today’s announcement is the product code-named “Morro”, security software targeted at end users of Windows operating systems. The anti-malware product will be available as a free download for all users of Windows XP, Windows Vista and upcoming Windows 7. The product is promised to be not resource-intensive and will be able to run even on netbooks. I am sure everyone has felt frustrated at some point about anti-malware software consuming too much memory or too much bandwidth so there will be ...

Microsoft Morro Anti Virus and Security Software to be free
I4U News — Microsoft Morro Anti Virus and Security Software to be free Posted on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:17:25 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr More Notebooks and PCs News Microsoft Morro Anti Virus and Security Software to be free Microsoft announced to release a free security software suite in 2009 codenamed Morro to address the growing need for a PC security solution tailored to the demands of emerging markets, smaller PC form factors and rapid increases in the incidence of malware. Morro will be available in the second half of 2009 and will provide comprehensive protection from malware including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans. As part of Microsoft’s move to focus on ...

Microsoft Working on Free Vaccine for Windows Viruses
ReadWriteWeb — It's no secret that - as the most widely deployed operating system - Microsoft Windows has the ignoble distinction of being the primary target of virus and malware developers everywhere. And when you couple that with the fact that many users of the Windows operating system fail to protect their machines - due to both ignorance of the problem and costs associated with virus protection software - you have the potential for rampant virus outbreaks. We've all seen it, time and time again. Now, Microsoft is proposing to solve that problem with a new antivirus package. The product, code-named Morro, is slated to hit the market late next year. It will ...

Microsoft to Offer Free Virus Protection Software for Windows
Webmonkey — ... The new software will reportedly use very minimal resources, which means it should work well with older PCs. If fact, Microsoft says Morro has been specially designed for older PCs and low-spec machines popular in developing nations. In addition to its minimal processor demands, Morro has been developed to use very little bandwidth, making it ideal for those without broadband connections. ...

Microsoft Makes Security Software Free, Symantec and McAfee Screwed (MSFT, SYMC, MFE)
Silicon Alley Insider — Microsoft (MSFT) is offering aggressive pricing on its latest anti-malware product: free. Coming next year, Microsoft will offer "Morro" for free general download, with the current anti-malware add-on "Windows Live OneCare" (still on sale for $50 at the Microsoft Store) being slowly phased out. Of course, Microsoft moving into the anti-malware space with a free product is disastrous for McAfee (MFE) and Symantec (SYMC), which have dominated the PC protection industry for years. Unfortunately, Microsoft will probably make a legal end-run around anti-trust regulators by not bundling Morro into Vista or Windows 7 -- leaving ...

Microsoft's 'Morro' Makes Client Security a Freebie
Internet Evolution: — In a world where those of us in IT are expected to provide bullet-proof client security solutions in order to make basic Internet activities like financial transactions and sharing of personal information safe, one of the more critical layers of Internet security is the client security software suite. An announcement made Monday has the potential to shake things up in this critical technology space -- as it raises questions about what the future of safe Internet client security will be. Microsoft Corp. ...

Microsoft to Release Free Anti-Malware Next Year
AppScout — Today, Microsoft announced plans to release free anti-malware software to consumers by the second half of 2009. The app, codenamed Morro, is designed to provide "comprehensive" protection against viruses, spyware, Trojans, and rootkits. As a result, the company will be discontinuing Windows Live OneCare subscriptions on June 30, 2009. The new software is built on existing MS anti-malware technology, which the company hastens to point out, has picked up a number of kudos, including a VB100 award from Virus Bulletin, Checkmark Certification from West Coast Labs, and certification from the International Computer Security Association Labs. "Because uptake ...

Microsoft plans to abandon OneCare and offer free anti-virus software next year
Technology: Technology blog | guardian.co.uk — Microsoft has announced plans to change its strategy on anti-virus software, in an attempt to upgrade PC security, particularly outside the developed countries. It's a tacit admission that its OneCare strategy hasn't worked: it hasn't gained significant market share, and it hasn't impacted the malware industry. Microsoft says it will keep ...

Microsoft Discontinuing Windows Live OneCare
Technology - Channel Feed — Windows Live OneCare subscribers currently enjoy, or not, the benefits of always-on virus, spyware and malware protection, centralized backup to keep personal information safe, and management features to keep PC’s optimized and running smoothly. Over the last couple of years OneCare has received severe criticism from users and software security companies alike. While the former complained that this security solution hogs system resources severely, the latter accused it of failing security product tests and non-adherence to industry standards, which Microsoft has been notorious of. Microsoft has finally lowered its gear. It has “decided to phase out ...

Would You Want Microsoft To Protect Your PC?
The Blade by Ron Schenone, MVP — ... from the International Computer Security Association Labs. The new solution will deliver the same core protection against malware as that offered through Microsoft’s enterprise solutions, but will not include many of the additional non-security features found in many consumer security suites. So I have a question for you. Will you be using the new Morro on your system? Share your thoughts with us. Comments welcome. Source.

Microsoft’s new free anti-malware solution gets closer: a new name for Morro?
LiveSide - Windows Live news and interviews — Last year Microsoft announced that it would end support for Windows Live OneCare, and turn instead to develop a new, free security product, code named Morro.  We’ve heard that Morro has already been in limited alpha testing, that it’s based on the same security engine as Microsoft’s Forefront technology, and that most of the work for the new product is being handled by Microsoft in India. Recently, we had a chance to see a survey conducted for Microsoft and sent out to consumers that sheds a little more light on what’s happening with Morro.  First, although this isn’t really news, a description of the product: ...

Microsoft ready to launch beta of its free Morro antivirus offering
All about Microsoft — June 10th, 2009 Microsoft ready to launch beta of its free Morro antivirus offering Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 3:57 pm Categories: Corporate strategy , Security , Vista , Windows 7 , Windows XP , Windows client Tags: Antivirus , Microsoft Corp. , Beta , Morro , Team Management , Security , Management , Mary Jo Foley Last fall, Microsoft announced its intentions to deliver a free replacement for its OneCare antivirus/anti-malware product for Windows PC consumers. Since then, company officials repeatedly have refused to provide any more info on ...

Microsoft close to releasing free Anti-Virus product
Gizmos for Geeks — ... Once Microsoft saw that their OneCare Live security product flopped, they decided back in November 08 to produce a scaled down version that would be free. The new application, codenamed Morro, is basic anti-virus that combats viruses, spyware and trojans. ...

Microsoft Free Antivirus: It's About Time
InformationWeek - All Stories And Blogs — This week, Microsoft confirmed that it would soon be releasing a free antivirus product that can run Windows versions all the way back to XP. That puts the company on target to deliver the product, code named Morro, that they announced last November to replace the paid OneCare product that meet its end this month.

Microsoft Windows 7 Morro Antivirus Leaked
Binary Head — Microsoft Security Essentials (Morro) is an upcoming free Anti-Virus tool and Anti-Spyware solution for Window based Computer that has been leaked on torrents. The official release is suspected to be available in the last quarter of the year 2009. It is suspected that Morro will be almost entirely cloud based antivirus solution that will provide comprehensive protection from malware including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans. Microsoft has previously announced in November that it will discontinue the paid Windows Live OneCare and would replace with free antivirus solution. Below ...

Microsoft unleashes free antivirus beta
SEO and Tech Daily — ... Announced in November by Microsoft, the long awaiting (beta) successor to OneCare arrived a short time ago. We downloaded copies from the Microsoft Connect Website for both XP and our Windows 7 RC box. Set-up was essentially seamless. Being a touch cautious, we offloaded Avast (on the XP3 box) and AVG (on the Windows 7 box) before installing. The program goes through a validation check (IE: You must be using 'genuine Microsoft software') prior to installation, then in an easy step-by-step fashion, downloads current virus ...

Microsoft Security Essentials is lean, but is it effective?
TechBlog — Linkpost | 6.29.2009 | Main June 29, 2009 Microsoft Security Essentials is lean, but is it effective? image_thumb[3] Microsoft is working on a new, free antimalware suite that protects Windows users against viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware. A beta version of Microsoft Security Essentials was posted to the Web last week, but if you blinked, you missed it: A day later, it was removed, having reached a maximum 75,000 downloads. If you know where to look, though, you may still be able to find a copy. For example, at this writing, you can get it at Softpedia , a software repository. There are versions for Windows XP, Vista and 7. There ...