Buying Win7 Extended Security won’t get you MS Security Essentials updates. Or will it?

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I’ve read the blog posts. I still don’t believe it. Will Microsoft really, for sure, cut off Microsoft Security Essentials malware signature updates o
[See the full post at: Buying Win7 Extended Security won’t get you MS Security Essentials updates. Or will it?]

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SueW, Nibbled To Death By Ducks, AJNorth, GreatAndPowerfulTech, abbodi86

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Questions can be submitted (and one has already been answered):

Ask Microsoft Anything: Windows 7 ESU – 12/17/2019

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abbodi86

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I’ll try the AMA.

Wonder if they’ll give a straight yes-or-no answer?

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Kranium, Nibbled To Death By Ducks, satrow, GreatAndPowerfulTech, WildBill

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I uninstalled MSE from the 3 out of 4 laptops that where running it but I may look at reinstalling it. But MSE has had some quirky behavior the last 8 months that have seen MSE fail to start on power-up or  reboot and sometimes black screening the PC/Laptop.

But I’m more interested in seeing some reporting on MSE alternatives, both paid and free, with a focus on any Security Software that does not require the computer to be always connected in order to run a virus scan. Some of that “Free” security software spies on the end users and that and other privacy issues is concerning.

What about Windows 8.1 and its security offerings from MS and the option for purchasing one of the still available 8.1 OEM license keys available for purchase online?

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I’ve been happy with Kaspersky Anti-Virus over the past several years. It doesn’t need to be connected to the internet to scan, only to update the database definitions.

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I am not sure how you have your system setup but be careful if you re-install MSE.

When I went from Kaspersky to MSE I found MSE changed settings on my system like enabling Local Services I had disabled and turning on Windows Updates and it might have installed an update.

I would encourage all Windows 7 users to ensure they have a system backup.

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SueW, GoneToPlaid

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What if you have been running MSE for several years but its been acting flaky for some months and maybe an uninstall and reinstall can fix a few things but maybe the settings change and will have to be changed back.

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If you have uninstalled MSE then it doesn’t really make sense to re-install it now. You will still get Defender updates but you might need the latest SSU  but Defender only prevents malware and doesn’t  scan for viruses.

I would probably recommend something like Kaspersky even though they are spyware. Personally I also run an older version of Malwarebytes 2.2.1.1043 which get definition updates but I don’t upgrade to version 3. Again that isn’t a anti-virus but it does check for rootkits and it gives some peace of mind.  Regular cleanup scans with CCleaner 419 before Malware scans can also work.

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? says:

interested to see how microsoft does this, i ran MSE on XP POSReady\Embedded from 2014 until April 2019. the last security patches came down on Tuesday April 9th and i was still able to update the MSE definitions until April 20th when it finally gave up the ghost (refused to connect to the server.) since microsoft offers some form(s) of extended win7 support after January patch day (and some folks may be using MSE) woud it not make sense to keep offering MSE definition updates?

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woody

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Not really, because the proper solution (from MS’s perspective) is to upgrade from MSE to System Center Endpoint Protection. This will already be within easy reach for anyone who will be continuing to support Windows 7 systems via an enterprise subscription.  Pair it with Defender ATP and Windows 7 systems will be well-protected and well-monitored for years to come.

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How similar are the apps and updates for MSE and Defender? Because I would suspect that the reason that MSE continued in XP is that they still needed to support it in Vista and Win7. If you’re just giving out the same updates, you might as well just let them work on WinXP as well.

If Defender basically is MSE, or at least the update files are basically the same, I could see Microsoft continuing the updates. But, if they are different enough, then I could see them not putting in the effort–especially if they provide other paid security solutions for Win7 as other posters have mentioned.

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Looking at the UI snapshots for Defender on 8.1 and later has the same UI as MSE, as far as I can tell, and only the name is changed. But MS only really cares about 10 and the cloud and the subscription services business model.

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I will be interested to see how third party security suites handle Windows 7. I am sure they will continue to support enterprise but beyond that how many will bother with Windows 7 if Microsoft isn’t providing updates. You’re sort of taking on some liability trying to protect a OS that doesn’t get security updates.

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FWIW, Norton/Symantec and Avast are still providing virus definition updates for my Vista machines. I don’t have any XP systems on Norton, so I can’t state categorically that XP would receive Norton updates, but my understanding of it is that they’re still doing this.

Also, this past summer I set up a Vista machine for my father and installed Panda Dome on it without issues. (BitDefender, my first choice, did object when I tried to install it.)

 

Keep Running Windows 7 Safely for Years to Come  
Make Windows 10 look and work like Windows 7

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AVAST is still providing virus definition updates on my Win XP machine.  The AVAST “program” version update has stopped coming; but the definitions still come for that final program version (September 2018, I think).  Therefore, I assume that I am still protected.  (For what it’s worth – I’m using the FREE version of AVAST, with none of the paid-for options/extensions).

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jburk07, Cybertooth

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Actually, whatever the answer to the question is right now, it is subject to change in the near future. You can count on that.

Byte me!

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is there any good freeware alternative avalaible once security essentials doesn’t get any definition updates next year? ideally without spyware and ads?

PC: Windows 7 Ultimate, 64bit, Group B
Notebook: Windows 8.1, 64bit, Group B

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BitDefender Free is well regarded on this forum. I use it on one of my Windows 7 computers and am very happy with it.

 

Keep Running Windows 7 Safely for Years to Come  
Make Windows 10 look and work like Windows 7

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Submitted to the AMA. Join me!

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Windows-AMA/Microsoft-Security-Essentials-availability-after-Win7-EOL/m-p/1070283#M823

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b

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Congratulations, @woody , you got them to change their tune! From what I saw while monitoring the thread from 9:00-10:00 PST this morning was their response to you, and a rebuttal from another user who pointed out that not ALL Microsoft support sites were telling the same story, followed by a quick retort of “Thanks for pointing that out. I’ll have it fixed as soon as possible.”  🙂 🙂

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woody

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Sanity rules!

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After reading that Micro$oft would stop supporting Security Essentials, I decided to switch to Bit¬Defender. I have to support some non-technical users that live far away, and installing Bit¬Defender now seems better than taking a chance that M$ will continue upgrading SE. Then, I’m covered either way. I’m running Bit¬Defender Free now, and it seems relatively unobtrusive. So far, no ads. And it found three “infected” files that SE had missed. So that’s pretty good. I’m still on Windows 7 for the near future. I’ll install Windows 10 someday, but not until I’m good and ready.

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