S
Seagal
SAN FRANCISCO--Ending speculation about whether it was
shifting to a
paid model, Microsoft said on Tuesday it will provide
customers with
its new anti-spyware software for free.
The pledge, made by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates during
his keynote
speech kicking off the RSA Conference 2005 here, comes
after the
company had been testing its anti-spyware beta--technology
that it
acquired when it bought security software maker it Giant
Software.
"Just as spyware is something that we have to nip down
today, we have
decided that all licensed Windows users should have that
protection at
no charge," Gates said.
The initiative is part of Microsoft's efforts to strengthen
security
for home and business users of its Windows desktop
software. Consumers
are not always aware of the dangers of such threats as
spyware, viruses
and 'phishing.' A study published last October found that
more than 80
percent of consumers had been infected by spyware.
While Microsoft turned its attention to general software
security three
years ago with its Trustworthy Computing Initiative, the
spotlight on
consumers began a year and a half ago, after the MSBlast
worm infected
millions of home PCs. The worm taunted Microsoft's founder
with the
message: "Billy gates why do you make this possible? Stop
making money
and fix your software!"
Microsoft introduced the beta, or test version, of its Windows
AntiSpyware application last month. The program is designed
to protect
Windows PCs from spyware--software that is installed on
computers
without their owners' knowledge. Typically, spyware
generates pop-up
ads or keeps track of people's Web surfing.
During his speech, Gates also said that Microsoft will
release a new,
more secure version of its Internet Explorer browser, which
will launch
separately and in advance of the next version of Window. IE
7.0 will
use security features available in Microsoft's most recent
security
update to its operating system, Windows XP Service Pack 2,
he said.
The company also plans to bring together its various update
services
and offer a single place to get security updates for each
class of
customer. The software giant will centralize Windows,
Office and
application updates through a consumer service called
AutoUpdate, Gates
said.
Small and midsize businesses that have many PCs to manage
and that want
some control will be offered another service, dubbed
Windows Update
Service, he added. Large companies can exercise more
control using
Software Management Server, also known as SMS.
Customers last got a major security upgrade from Microsoft
in August,
when the company launched Windows XP Service Pack 2, aimed
at locking
down computers. The operating system revamp took more than
nine months
to complete and added a central security interface, a
better firewall
and several under-the-hood improvements to lock down
Windows PCs.
The software giant has recently been making buys to bolster its
security line-up. In December, Microsoft announced it would
buy Giant
Software, a maker of desktop anti-spyware tools. Last week, the
software giant announced it planned to buy enterprise
security software
maker Sybari, a business-focused move.
CNET News.com's Ina Fried contributed to this report.
Copyright ©1995-2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.
shifting to a
paid model, Microsoft said on Tuesday it will provide
customers with
its new anti-spyware software for free.
The pledge, made by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates during
his keynote
speech kicking off the RSA Conference 2005 here, comes
after the
company had been testing its anti-spyware beta--technology
that it
acquired when it bought security software maker it Giant
Software.
"Just as spyware is something that we have to nip down
today, we have
decided that all licensed Windows users should have that
protection at
no charge," Gates said.
The initiative is part of Microsoft's efforts to strengthen
security
for home and business users of its Windows desktop
software. Consumers
are not always aware of the dangers of such threats as
spyware, viruses
and 'phishing.' A study published last October found that
more than 80
percent of consumers had been infected by spyware.
While Microsoft turned its attention to general software
security three
years ago with its Trustworthy Computing Initiative, the
spotlight on
consumers began a year and a half ago, after the MSBlast
worm infected
millions of home PCs. The worm taunted Microsoft's founder
with the
message: "Billy gates why do you make this possible? Stop
making money
and fix your software!"
Microsoft introduced the beta, or test version, of its Windows
AntiSpyware application last month. The program is designed
to protect
Windows PCs from spyware--software that is installed on
computers
without their owners' knowledge. Typically, spyware
generates pop-up
ads or keeps track of people's Web surfing.
During his speech, Gates also said that Microsoft will
release a new,
more secure version of its Internet Explorer browser, which
will launch
separately and in advance of the next version of Window. IE
7.0 will
use security features available in Microsoft's most recent
security
update to its operating system, Windows XP Service Pack 2,
he said.
The company also plans to bring together its various update
services
and offer a single place to get security updates for each
class of
customer. The software giant will centralize Windows,
Office and
application updates through a consumer service called
AutoUpdate, Gates
said.
Small and midsize businesses that have many PCs to manage
and that want
some control will be offered another service, dubbed
Windows Update
Service, he added. Large companies can exercise more
control using
Software Management Server, also known as SMS.
Customers last got a major security upgrade from Microsoft
in August,
when the company launched Windows XP Service Pack 2, aimed
at locking
down computers. The operating system revamp took more than
nine months
to complete and added a central security interface, a
better firewall
and several under-the-hood improvements to lock down
Windows PCs.
The software giant has recently been making buys to bolster its
security line-up. In December, Microsoft announced it would
buy Giant
Software, a maker of desktop anti-spyware tools. Last week, the
software giant announced it planned to buy enterprise
security software
maker Sybari, a business-focused move.
CNET News.com's Ina Fried contributed to this report.
Copyright ©1995-2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.