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By Laton McCartney
Though it won't debut until next week, Microsoft Security Essentials, the malware software known as Morro, is getting a thumbs-down from competitors.
"Microsoft's free product is a slightly modified and stripped down version of the OneCare product it pulled from the shelves recently," says Dave Cole, senior director of product management for Symantec. "Consumers don't need less protection--they need more."
"Referring to Microsoft's basic antivirus and antispyware product as an essential security solution is misleading," says Cole. "Consumers need firewall protection, Web protection, antispam and identity safeguards--these are among the essentials when it comes to security, and you can only get them through a full Internet security suite provided by security experts."
Microsoft isn't going to change the dynamics of the consumer security industry, according to Cole. "The reality is that shareware and freeware vendors have been in the market for 20-plus years," he says. "The freeware space is crowded and Microsoft is just joining the fray. In addition, early reviews of the beta are showing that it underperforms when compared to existing freeware products, and well below paid solutions such as Norton AntiVirus."
Symantec spokeswoman Cecilia Daclan pointed to a recent study of freeware solutions conducted by Dennis Labs and commissioned by Symantec. That report, she says, underscored the risk freeware users are taking in being online and protecting valuable personal information:
- AVG and Avira freeware users have a 1 in 5 chance of being infected when faced with an attack.
- Thirty-seven percent of attacks will penetrate an Avira freeware user's system.
- One in three of all attacks will penetrate an AVG freeware user's system.
"Freeware solutions don't fully protect against the more complex, advanced threats facing computer users today," says Daclan. "Despite this fact, freeware users choose to take the risk."
Another recent study commissioned by Symantec found that:
- Computer users are about four times more likely to distrust free security software compared to paid software.
- Freeware users are twice as likely as paid security suite users to feel unsafe when browsing the Web.
- Forty percent of freeware users believe their security software protects their computer against less than 75 percent of online security threats.
- Freeware users are much more likely than security suite users to have to manage the detailed operation of their software manually, but more than one in 10 freeware users don't know how to manage their security software at all.
The survey demonstrated that freeware users are willing to take the risk because they are not fully educated about online threats and what can result from being inadequately protected, Daclan adds. While users of freeware and paid products are on par when it comes to understanding basic online security terms like "virus," paid security suite users are 25 percent to 30 percent more likely to know the correct definition of specialized security terms like "phishing."
McAfee did not respond to requests for comment, but in its 10-Q report issued May 9, the security provider clearly voiced concern about Morro's impact: "Security protection is increasingly being offered by third parties at significant discounts to our prices or, in some cases is bundled for free. For example, Microsoft announced that beginning in 2009 it will offer in emerging markets a free anti-malware consumer product dubbed Morro."
"The widespread inclusion of lower-priced or free products that perform the same or similar functions as our products within computer hardware or other companies' software products could reduce the perceived need for our products or render our products unmarketable--even if these incorporated products are inferior or more limited than our products," continues the report. "The expansion of these competitive trends could have a significant negative impact on our sales and financial results."
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