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Tag: anti-virus

  • Microsoft Extends Anti-Virus Support For Windows XP

    Windows XP’s long overdue death is quickly approaching. After extending support numerous times, Microsoft is finally going to pull the plug on Windows XP on April 8. While Microsoft hopes this gives XP users a reason to upgrade to Windows 7 or 8, some are still sticking with it XP. To help those guys out, Microsoft is going to throw them a bone.

    Microsoft announced on Wednesday that Windows XP will continue to receive updates to its antimalware signatures and engine through July 14, 2015. In other words, Microsoft will continue to protect Windows XP from viruses and other malware for another year. All other forms of support will still end on April 8, but Microsoft hopes this gives those still using Windows XP a little more time to upgrade without having to worry about malware.

    The extra year of anti-malware support will come in the form of updates to System Center Endpoint Protection, Forefront Client Security, Forefront Endpoint Protection and Windows Intune for its enterprise customers. Consumers won’t be left out though as Microsoft will continue to update Microsoft Security Essentials on XP as well.

    Despite the extra year of anti-malware support, Microsoft notes that Windows XP still isn’t all that safe. It recommends that users switch to Windows 7 or 8 as soon as possible. The two latest operating systems from Microsoft provide have better anti-virus and antil-malware protections baked in to protect users from the worst of the worst.

    If you must continue to use XP, Microsoft’s latest extension should give you a little peace of mind. It still doesn’t change the fact that all other support for XP is vanishing on April 8. You will probably want to upgrade now or forever be hacked.

    Image via Savas/YouTube

  • Facebook Beefs Up Anti-Virus Marketplace with 7 New Partners

    Earlier this year, Facebook debuted their Anti-Virus Marketplace which allows users to download free trials of various anti-virus software. The original partners included names like Microsoft, McAfee, Sophos, and Symantec.

    Today, Facebook is announcing an expansion of the Anti-Virus Marketplace that will see the company partner with seven new companies in their attempt to keep Facebook users free and clear of malware. Now, Facebook users can grab software from avast!, AVG, Avira, Kaspersky, Panda, Total Defense, and Webroot.

    Of course, it’s not just about giving users the ability to download free trials of anti-virus software. By partnering with these companies, Facebook is able to incorporate their databases into Facebook’s own URL blacklist database. Of course, this makes Facebook better able to root out potential threats on the site before they become major problems.

    Here’s what Facebook had to say about that and possibility of future partnerships and new tools:

    “Our new anti-virus partners bring with them both the latest software and comprehensive intelligence. As with our existing partners, these seven companies will help protect Facebook’s community of over a billion users by improving our URL blacklist system. This system scans trillions of clicks per per day, and before each click, the system consults the databases of all our AV Marketplace partners to make sure the website you are about to visit is safe. This means that whenever you click a link on our site you are protected both by Facebook and 12 of the industry leaders in computer security. We will be cooperating with these partners more in the future, and look forward to announcing new tools soon.”

    Back in July, Facebook made their anti-virus initiative a little more proactive by launching the Malware Checkpoint. With the checkpoint, Facebook users can self-enroll in the anti-virus protection. Before, Facebook would have to identify an actionable threat in order for users to utilize the software.

    Facebook also recently created a new email address, [email protected], and asked users to file reports when they comes across anything shady on the network that attempts to snatch personal information.

  • Facebook Launches Malware Checkpoint So Users Can Be Proactive In Their Own Protection

    Back in April, Facebook launched the Facebook Anti-Virus Marketplace, which allows users to obtain free trials of anti-virus software from big names like McAfee, Sophos, Symantec, and Microsoft. They also incorporated those company’s databases into their own URL blacklist database to better help them sniff out potential threats on the site.

    Since then, Facebook has provided free anti-virus products to users – but only once they have identified a threat and notified the user in question.

    Now, in order to allow users to be more “proactive,” Facebook has set up a self-enrollment malware checkpoint that give users access to either McAfee’s Scan and Repair or Microsoft’s Security Essentials.

    From a note on the Facebook Security page:

    Previously, if you suspected you may have malware installed on your device, you would either need to run anti-virus on your device or wait until Facebook identified an actionable threat. Now, with our new self-enrollment malware checkpoint, you will be able to proactively obtain your choice of a free anti-virus product to scan and clean your system.

    We currently offer two products for all of our users: McAfee’s Scan and Repair and Microsoft’s Security Essentials.

    The McAfee option will download a small program onto your Windows computer to perform a one-time scan of your system for malware. It will not interfere with your existing anti-virus or other security products. After it scans your system, it will give you the option to automatically or manually remove the files it flags as malicious. The Microsoft Security Essentials option is a full anti-virus product. Upon download and install, it will add anti-virus software to your computer that will continue to protect your system with the latest anti-virus signatures from Microsoft.

    You can sign up for the McAfee scan here, and the Microsoft product here.

  • Facebook Launches an Anti-Virus Marketplace

    Facebook has announced a new security initiative that includes partnerships with well-known security companies and an anti-virus marketplace where Facebook users can download free anti-virus software. The announcement came as a note on the Facebook Security Facebook page.

    The companies that Facebook has partnered with are Microsoft, McAfee, TrendMicro, Sophos, and Symantec. Facebook will incorporate the malicious URL databases from these companies into their own URL blacklist system, which is in place to prevent spam and malicious content links on Facebook.

    Facebook has also introduced the new Facebook Anti-Virus Marketplace that allows Facebook users to download free anti-virus software from each of the companies. Though the downloads are full versions of the software, users only receive a six-month license to use it.

    A six-month license means this initiative seems more like an advertising partnership with these companies than a selfless giveaway for users’ protection. Things especially begin to smell of an ad campaign when you realize the company whose software you’ve chosen must be “liked” by you on Facebook to start the download. It’s also odd that Microsoft Security Essentials, which is already free for Windows users, is in the marketplace alongside Norton AntiVirus and McAfee.

    The partner companies will also be promoting security safety (and presumably their products) on the Facebook Security Blog. From the blog:

    Additionally, we are excited to welcome these companies to the Facebook Security Blog, where they will provide important educational materials to help those who use our site keep themselves, and their data, safe. Remember to Like the Security Page to make sure you receive these updates.

    What do you think? Is Facebook sincerely helping users avoid infections and malware? Should Facebook be promoting free alternatives instead of trials for these anti-virus options? Leave a comment below and let me know.