Spyware Details

[Jay]

To someone knowledgeable on MSFT's security services,

Is it necessary to be running Internet Explorer in order
to use the new Beta Spyware product? Once you download
the antispyware beta product, does it perform ongoing
monitoring? Do you need Internet Explorer for any
configuration/set up?

I understand that security services within MSN were
recently announced. How is this different than what MSFT
did before with regard to security services offered on
the browser?

Thanks,

Jay

 

[Bill Sanderson]

Microsoft announced today that Microsoft Antispyware would be free in a
personal version, and available to licensed Windows users. It isn't clear
whether it will be available for the older versions of the OS--I need to
check a conjecture of mine with regards to support lifecycle dates, but I'm
betting that the answer will be Windows 2000 and up only.

They also announced that there will be a new browser version, designated
IE7, available for Windows XP SP2, and in beta later this year--didn't note
that more exactly, I'm afraid.

Microsoft Antispyware doesn't require Internet Explorer, although by my
count 19 of its 59 checkpoints are related to Internet Explorer.

Even if you are using a different browser, the real-time protection
checkpoints are of significant value I believe.

At the present time, you do not need Internet explorer for either the
download, nor for anything about configuration or operation after download,
although I'll confess to not having tested this thoroughly--I believe others
here have.

The Genuine Windows validation process involves an ActiveX control, and thus
IE, I believe, but this process is not mandatory at the moment. It may well
be mandatory for the released product however.