Microsoft recently released its free anti-virus, Microsoft Security Essentials (or MSE). It is the replacement of Windows Live OneCare, which was not free. Microsoft recommends not to install MSE with any other security suites. When you install MSE it automatically disables Windows Defender. This is sensible since it is actually a superset of Windows Defender.

The main features of Microsoft Security Essential are as follows:

• It is completely free, no registration or activation is required
• Easy to install and comes with a very clean interface
• Not a resource-hungry program and is light even when you are scanning
• It is perfect solution for normal users who are not having any security suite installed or who wants a bare-bone security

Ars Technica and How-To-Geek carried out an extensive review of Microsoft Security Essentials and they are really impressed by it. Microsoft claims it is targeting consumers who don’t have any protection on their Windows PC but some antivirus makers mocked MSE and dismissed it as a good security solution. It may not be as powerful as some of the leading security solutions already available in the market but it’s a good step Microsoft’s part. Windows users who don’t have or will not use any security products just because they are expensive or too technical for them will find MSE very easy to adopt and use. At least some security is better than having no security at all.

Be sure to always download MSE from a trusted sources like from the official MSE page or through trusted download portals like Softpedia or Betanews. You can get download definition updates from here to keep MSE up to date if your PC is offline. You should never download MSE from any third-party websites that are offering MSE downloads. Martin Brinkmann, senior editor of ghacks.net explained why you should be careful about where you download it from.