It is extremely important for every user to protect his computer and making sure that it is free from any malware such as virus, root kits, Trojan horses and spywares. Internet users, in particular, are so exposed to these types of harmful and malicious software’s. Microsoft, striving to help their buyers in safeguarding their computers, has developed free antivirus software for Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 – Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE).

During installation, Microsoft Security Essentials validates the license of the operating system of the user. If ever MSE finds out that the OS is actually not genuine, the user will be notified and the process will automatically be terminated.

MSE is packed with a lot of beneficial features. First of all, it can guarantee real time and on-demand defense against malwares. Its anti-malware engine is constantly updated. It even checks for virus definition updates three times a day and it automatically downloads them. Moreover, it can also be integrated together with Windows firewall – that is, users can actually turn on or turn off firewall.

Microsoft Security Essentials is now used to take the place of older anti-virus programs from Microsoft. MSE is free of charge, unlike Windows Live OneCare which is designed for commercial use and is also subscription-based. Compared to Windows Defender (which is also free), MSE’s defense is not limited to adware’s and spywares only.

Basically, Microsoft Security Essentials has features which are present to both Forefront and Defender, Microsoft’s anti-virus client and anti-spyware client, respectively. When you already have MSE in your pc, you don’t need to have another program for anti-spyware because it can scan, detect and eliminate viruses as well as spywares. That will mean a lot of savings from your computer’s memory and money from your pocket.

When MSE is checking and updating the computer, it does not slow down the computer’s speed. When it detects a malware, it would still prompt an input from the user before taking any further action. If there is no response has been sensed within ten minutes, the detected malware will be dealt with accordingly via default. Additionally, it also creates system restore points before eliminating a suspected malware.

There have been numerous positive reviews about Microsoft Security Essentials, and the awards it has received may prove this to be all commendable. On 2010, MSE earned the title of “Best Free Software” from PC Advisor. Just recently, PC Advisor included MSE in its list of “Five of the Best Free Security Suites.” This can be read in the article they published last June 8, 2011.