Security management Toolkit

Microsoft ships Windows Defender

Dawn Kawamoto CNET News.com

Published: 25 Oct 2006 09:30 BST

Microsoft announced on Tuesday the general release of its free anti-spyware program, a move that significantly steps up the software maker's competitive challenge to the security industry.

Windows Defender anti-spyware is now available in English to Windows XP users, with other languages set for delivery in coming weeks. Windows Defender will also be bundled with Windows Vista, Microsoft's next-generation operating system, when it is released in January.

Windows Defender is expected to raise the competitive stakes with security vendors McAfee and Symantec, which charge for their anti-spyware products. The security industry has had a long time to ponder the free anti-spyware product, given that it has been in beta testing since January 2005.

Microsoft also released the Beta 2 test version of its Microsoft Certificate Lifecycle Manager on Tuesday. The software is designed to lower costs for companies that use digital certificates and smart cards by simplifying the maintenance of the certificate system. It aims to ease the administrative process and deployment of the technology, which can be handled through a centralised or self-service management system.

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It seems to me this is a burden being placed on the wrong shoulders. There is not an It system in the world that can stop an individual taking information in their heads and spewing out at the nearest undesirable third party.