Security Essentials for Small Business

Basic antimalware protection for Windows PCs will be available free for small businesses when Microsoft makes a change to the licensing terms for Security Essentials in Oct. 2010. Security Essentials, previously limited to use in the home (or home businesses), will now be allowed on up to 10 PCs in small businesses, giving them basic protection from malware. However, only Windows XP, Vista, and 7 are covered; Microsoft suggests that customers use its Forefront line of products for protecting servers.

Encouraging Use of Microsoft Protection

Security Essentials provides basic protection from malware—including viruses, spyware, rootkits, and Trojans—and updates are downloaded and applied automatically over the Internet. Real-time monitoring watches a PC continuously and alerts the user when it detects potential threats, such as an attempted installation or execution of a virus or spyware program. Users can configure actions to be taken, such as automatically removing or quarantining the suspicious item. Security Essentials, a free download, will install only onto Windows PCs that pass Windows Genuine Advantage validation, and the software must be individually installed and managed on each PC—there is no central management or update facility available.