TipsFocus.com

Microsoft announced to release free anti-malware protection to consumers by the second half of 2009.

Currently codenamed Morro, the new program will be completely free. Microsoft’s aim is to “[..]focus on getting the majority of consumers the essential protection they need by providing comprehensive, real-time anti-malware protection, covering such threats as viruses, spyware, rootkits, trojans, and other emerging threats, in a single, focused solution.”

And then there’s last month’s software report by NPD, which showed Live OneCare actually outselling McAffee Virusscan. It’s done fairly well in terms of sales, so why change now?

‘Free’ is always welcome, but I’m not really clear on why Microsoft is killing OneCare, since Morro won’t have all the features that pay-to-use OneCare does and the new software seems designed mostly for low-cost, low-end systems.

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.