Free Anti-Virus Protection, by Microsoft!? I used to be a big proponent of AVG’s free antivirus software. While AVG is still available, and still works well, they make you jump through some hoops to get it. Registration can be annoying and it’s just enough of a pain for me not to want to do it.

Recently Microsoft introduced it’s own security suite into the mix, it’s free to Windows users. It would almost be a joke if they charged for it, as most viruses install through bugs in Microsoft’s own Windows operating system. You can download Microsoft Security Essentials through Microsoft’s Website. The install is quick and updates and scans can be scheduled to happen automatically. The software is relatively light on resource usage, which is a big plus. Most importantly, the system is relatively robust. It’s possible to install on an already infected machine and use as a clean-up tool. It also does real-time protection. Antivirus is a necessary companion to any Windows install, Microsoft’s offering is solid, and most importantly free. Look out for it.