Microsoft Security Essentials Version 2.1.1116.: a Computer Security Review

Computer Security

Computer security is an essential part of computer science. Without proper computer security, a computer can be exposed to dangerous files that can overtake a computer and put one’s personal information at risk. It is very important to understand the antivirus software installed on one’s computer and how to use it, as well as the different types of software that are available to provide protection.

The antivirus software that is currently installed and running on my computer is Microsoft Security Essentials Version 2.

1.1116.0, Copyright 2010. This program was last updated on November 8, 2011. This software was downloaded from the Windows Microsoft website (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows/products/security-essentials) and installed onto my computer. The software is set to automatically update every day. This antivirus software is very easy to use, and I would recommend this product to someone else.

To run a scan of my hard drive using Microsoft Security Essentials, I first open the program on my PC (personal computer).

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Next, I make sure the program is on the home tab. The home tab offers three types of scans that the software can run: a quick scan, full scan, or custom scan. To scan to the entire hard drive, I selected ‘full scan’ and clicked ‘scan now.’ After a complete scan of my computer’s hard drive there were no threats found. If malicious files had been found during the scan, these files would have been flagged as a threat and then quarantined until further action was taken.

After the files are quarantined, they can then be removed from the hard drive.

Although my computer uses Microsoft Security Essentials, there are many other types of antivirus software that can be used. Two examples of other antivirus software are Norton Anti-Virus Security and McAfee All Access security. The most recent version of Norton Anti-Virus Security is Norton 360 Version 5.0. The operating systems supported by this antivirus software are Microsoft Windows XP (32-bit), Microsoft Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit), and Microsoft Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit). This version of Norton Anti-Virus costs $79.99 for 1 year of service for up to 3 PCs, $134.99 for 2 years of service for up to 3 PCs, and $194.99 for 3 years of service for up to 3 PCs. There is a free 30-day trial version of this software available for download. This product is purchased for a specific amount of time (1, 2, or 3 years), and there is on recurring fee during this designated time period. Once the time period is up, the software must be renewed and paid for again. The most current version of complete protection offered by McAfee is McAfee All Access 2012, which not only protects PCs, but tablets and smart phones as well. The operating systems supported by this antivirus software are Windows XP (32-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit), Mac OS X 10.5 or higher, Google Android 2.1 or higher, BlackBerry (4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 5.0, or 6.0), and Symbian S60 3rd or 5th Edition. This version of McAfee All Access costs $99.99 for 1 year for 1 user. There is a free 30-day trial version of this software available for download. This product is purchased for an initial fee of $99.99 for one year, and when that year of service is over the product must be renewed and a fee must be paid again. After evaluating and comparing these two different antivirus software programs, I would recommend using McAfee All Access 2012. I chose this application because it offers: protection against viruses, spyware, phishing, and spam; uses active protection technology to immediately determine risks; monitors online activity surround social networking and gaming; filters and backs up information; and uses two-way firewalls to ensure protection from malicious files. This software is also compatible with more operating systems than Norton Anti-Virus software, including Mac OS X. I believe that this anti-virus software offers more protection and compatibility than others.