Microsoft Security Essentials. Better than AVG?

[ItalianScallion]

A friend of mine said he downloaded & ran Microsoft's Security Essentials antivirus program and it found 3 viruses that AVG didn't. I've used AVG for the last 4 years and have had no viruses get past it. Does anyone know if it's worth it's weight? It's free, so it's definitely worth it IF it's a good program.
Of course, now I find this out after I just renewed my AVG for another 2 years last month!!!
Thanks folks! Here's the link:
http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

And what were the three virus's found? Viruses are detected via Algorithms and may not actually be a Virus. Trust me - Grisoft is probably already disecting Security Essentials and making the appropriate enhancements. Grisoft is out to make money and is probably already making changes while creating a Security Essential vs Grisoft comparison.

 

[Beta84]

are you sure the viruses weren't AVG-related? sometimes virus scanners like to attack one another.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

are you sure the viruses weren't AVG-related? sometimes virus scanners like to attack one another.

Not to mention their are just as many false-detections to begin with...that was why I was wondering what Security Essentials found. It can be so darn deceiving.

 

[clevalley]

I am running Microsoft Security Essentials and it is doing a good job. It is lighter (footprint wise on memory) than others. Plus, it's FREE and integrates with Windows Update Sevice.

One product will always catch more than others, and vice-versa - this is largely in part to their algorithms (like Twisted Ear says) and how the virus acts to trigger the software. Updates to definitions play a large part as well, but for the most part one is just as good as the other.

We are waiting on Microsoft to finish the updates to the Enterprise version of Security Essentials and we will probably deploy it here and ditch Symantec Enterprise Server.

 

[GWguy]

We are waiting on Microsoft to finish the updates to the Enterprise version of Security Essentials and we will probably deploy it here and ditch Symantec Enterprise Server.

We ditched Symantec last year, went with Sophos. What a pain it has been. It flags stuff like Outlook Express and MS Games and puts them in quarantine....

 

[clevalley]

We ditched Symantec last year, went with Sophos. What a pain it has been. It flags stuff like Outlook Express and MS Games and puts them in quarantine....

Corporate is using Bit Defender, not sure why but it has its quirks as well.

But to quarantine Outlook Express and MS products?!?!

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

My major concern would be the fools (hacker's) going straight for the weak parts of Microsoft Security Essentials (just like they have with Microsoft's OS). I hope their is a special place in Hell for those fools.

 

[EmptyTimCup]

Counter Spy now Vipre ...





I just got a quote for Vipre Enterprise, 10 bucks a seat

 

[ItalianScallion]

And what were the three virus's found? Viruses are detected via Algorithms and may not actually be a Virus. Trust me - Grisoft is probably already disecting Security Essentials and making the appropriate enhancements. Grisoft is out to make money and is probably already making changes while creating a Security Essential vs Grisoft comparison.

I'm not jumping the gun and downloading anything yet. That's why I asked you folks first. Here's the email he sent me:
I just did the deep scan on my PC for the first time ever using Microsoft Security Essentials and found 3 Trojan Horse viruses on it and removed them all. AVG Free Antivirus never did find them when I was running it. They were Trojan:Java/Selace.D, Trojan:Java/Selace.E, and one real bad one called Exploit:Java/CVE-2008-5353.A . Exploit is one I got before on my old PC and wound up having to format the entire drive.
I made the mistake that time of just right clicking and deleting the file which executed it and made it create a bunch of new files. Never do that! You need to do the deep scan on your PC also if you haven't done so already.

are you sure the viruses weren't AVG-related? sometimes virus scanners like to attack one another.

Not sure. I copied the email he sent me above. Thanks Beta.

I am running Microsoft Security Essentials and it is doing a good job. It is lighter (footprint wise on memory) than others. Plus, it's FREE and integrates with Windows Update Sevice.
One product will always catch more than others, and vice-versa - this is largely in part to their algorithms (like Twisted Ear says) and how the virus acts to trigger the software. Updates to definitions play a large part as well, but for the most part one is just as good as the other.

You can't have 2 antivirus programs on one computer right? Won't they interact or counteract each other? Thanks CL.

 

[BigSlam123b]

I am running Microsoft Security Essentials and it is doing a good job. It is lighter (footprint wise on memory) than others. Plus, it's FREE and integrates with Windows Update Sevice.

One product will always catch more than others, and vice-versa - this is largely in part to their algorithms (like Twisted Ear says) and how the virus acts to trigger the software. Updates to definitions play a large part as well, but for the most part one is just as good as the other.

We are waiting on Microsoft to finish the updates to the Enterprise version of Security Essentials and we will probably deploy it here and ditch Symantec Enterprise Server.

Agreed. Security Essentials is sooo much better than AVG. It takes up few resources, whereas AVG is a resource hog. As well as it being an integrated MS product. MS is just doing what Apple does by integrting all of your core OS needs.

 

[EmptyTimCup]

You can't have 2 antivirus programs on one computer right? Won't they interact or counteract each other? Thanks CL.

You may have more than one ....

just none can be set to auto protect.


otherwise the one AV Program set to auto, will scan every file scanned by the other AV Program doing a manual sweep.

expentially increasing your scan time ...

you would have to set your auto protect to disabled, when using any other AV program.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

...whereas AVG is a resource hog...

I can understand when someone favor's one product over another. However, I must challenge you to prove that AVG is a Resource Hog? Please, provide some facts to back up that statement.

 

[GWguy]

I can understand when someone favor's one product over another. However, I must challenge you to prove that AVG is a Resource Hog? Please, provide some facts to back up that statement.

One of the reasons I use AVG is because it uses so little resource. I can't tell the difference if it's running in the background or not. The only time I notice it is when it starts up a full scan, and even that's not bad.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

One of the reasons I use AVG is because it uses so little resource. I can't tell the difference if it's running in the background or not. The only time I notice it is when it starts up a full scan, and even that's not bad.

That is my problem with this "resource hog" statement. It is normally thrown around when trying to prove a point and you have nothing else to use. Anyway GWguy - one big BOO BOO AVG did was with their Link Scanner and Web Shield features. The Link Scanner can bring your browser to it knee's if you have the Surf Shield running and if you have the Web Shield feature on it will also kill you WHEN Grisoft is having problems with their Server. It took me hours to figure out what the problem was. A bunch of user's are having a problem and Grisoft has yet to acknowledge it...

 

[GWguy]

That is my problem with this "resource hog" statement. It is normally thrown around when trying to prove a point and you have nothing else to use. Anyway GWguy - one big BOO BOO AVG did was with their Link Scanner and Web Shield features. The Link Scanner can bring your browser to it knee's if you have the Surf Shield running and if you have the Web Shield feature on it will also kill you WHEN Grisoft is having problems with their Server. It took me hours to figure out what the problem was. A bunch of user's are having a problem and Grisoft has yet to acknowledge it...

I did have one time when AVG "ran away", but haven't had issues with the other features. It just works for me. But I will keep an eye on that now.

 

[ItalianScallion]

Well folks, it looks like they're both good so I'll stick with my AVG until it expires in 2012 and, if America is still here, I might go with the Microsoft one. Thanks for all your comments.

 

[The_Twisted_Ear]

I have a feeling the Link/Web Shield's have a lot to do with your connection speed capability. Thinking about it now - most of the problems with lag time was those running sat and wireless cards...interesting...

I did have one time when AVG "ran away", but haven't had issues with the other features. It just works for me. But I will keep an eye on that now.

 

[vanbells]

I like both AVG and Security Essentials.

 

[ItalianScallion]

I like both AVG and Security Essentials.

Explain that more please. Do you run them both on one computer? Two computers? Any favoritism towards one or the other?