Will they cut off MSE next year?

[anonymous]

When they cut off Win 7 next year, will MSE still be updated or am I going to have to convince my boss to buy an antivirus for the one Windows box in the building?

[MicrofixDa Boss]

Are MS obliged to continue supporting MSE after Jan 2020?
Considering it’s for Windows 7 and MSE is free..I’d say start looking for a
a third party AV for beyond W7 EOL in 3/4 of this year.

********** Win7 x64/x86 | Win8.1 x64 | Linux Hybrids x64 **********

[CybertoothAskWoody Lounger]

FWIW, Vista and XP are still getting updates for Windows Defender.

This doesn’t preclude MS from getting aggressive against Windows 7 systems and cutting them off next year, but it may be a hopeful sign.

 

[joep517AskWoody MVP]

You mean definition updates and not program updates, right?

--Joe

[CybertoothAskWoody Lounger]

That’s correct.

Don’t know about MSE program updates since I don’t use MSE.

 

 

[jabeattyauditorAskWoody Lounger]

Of course, Windows Defender doesn’t do much on pre-Win8 systems either.

2 users thanked author for this post.

Microfix, b

[CybertoothAskWoody Lounger]

Windows Defender on Vista has a feature where it asks your explicit permission for programs trying to make changes to the registry. This feature seems to have been removed from the Windows 7 version of WD; maybe they decided it wasn’t useful but I haven’t seen an explanation for the removal. On the face of it, it would seem to be useful in preventing malicious drivers from doing their thing.

(Note to mods: I don’t see where to add attach an attachment; what happened to it?)

[CybertoothAskWoody Lounger]

The attachment function is back. Here’s the Vista WD screenshot I’d wanted to attach to my previous post:

 

Attachments:

You must be logged in to access attached files.

[Lars220AskWoody Lounger]

Here are some fairly recent links about Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows 7, it looks like there is nothing “absolutely official from Microsoft” that my searchs have found yet. I am not sure if the ‘answers.microsoft / forum’ is official or just some poster advice. Gregg Keizer at Computerworld posts “Microsoft will probably rehash a move it made with Windows XP after Windows 7’s public support expires: Continue to provide antivirus (AV) signatures for its home-grown Security Essentials software.” I am including one link from digital trends about the ‘so called’ best free antivirus programs just to give people an idea, search that and get a thousand different opinions. If anyone finds any definite answer please post, may help many.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/microsoft-security-essentials-for-windows-7-after/6da51319-35ed-476e-b602-f9b839443aaf

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3322618/microsoft-windows/the-definitive-windows-7-retirement-timeline-countdown.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Security_Essentials#Discontinuation

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/best-free-antivirus-software/

As a side note, I do not see below this posting box, the “Attachement – Select File” button.

 

1 user thanked author for this post.

Cybertooth

[anonymous]

Dear (other) anonymous, you should expect that mse will stop working at some point after win7 goes eol.   This may be after a brief grace period, during which mse will produce angry red toaster popup warnings.  Beyond that, not only will mse program updates stop, but virus signature downloads will as well, and mse will simply refuse to do anything other than tell  you that your os is unsupported.  My prognostication is based on past experience with winxp and vista.  Many anti-virus vendors will drop win7 support eventually, although I see that avast and  (I think) bitdefender are still supporting vista.

1 user thanked author for this post.

Microfix

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