Microsoft Security Essentials Beta Review

A Win-Win Situation

With some modifications, Windows Security Essentials could be a win for third-party security companies, as well. Let’s imagine for a moment that Microsoft used the same approach it uses with the enterprise-focused Forefront Security for Exchange security solutions, which allow third-party security companies to plug their own scan engines into Microsoft’s core product. Given that Microsoft has even written a white-paper about the benefits of such an approach, it is not a big leap to see how consumers could benefit from a one-stop shop for protection from multiple vendors in one tidy package. If users can tap multiple scan engines in one package, that also means more customers for more security companies.

Consequently, instead of having to worry mainly about compatibility with Microsoft’s scanner, third-party security providers could focus more of their development efforts on next-generation solutions, be they browser-based, encryption-oriented or behavioural. Since their old-school signature-based detections would be packaged and sold through Microsoft’s own product. All of this rather than the cornucopia of solutions that currently make up the marketplace.

Andrew Garcia is senior analyst at eWeek