Windows “Defender” vs “Security Essentials”

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Please clear up for me the relationship between “Windows Defender” and “Windows Security Essentials”. I was of the impression that WSE was a part of WD on Windows 7 systems. But that does not seem to be the case? Is it WSE a part of WD on Win 10?
Thanks,
Bill

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Bill,

MSE and WD are one and the same although WD is the later version. MSE was an add-on to Windows you had to download it and install it. In later versions of Windows it was BAKED-IN to Windows and re-branded Windows Defender. As memory serves (and it is getting worse by the day) the demarcation point was W7 (MSE) Win 8 (WD).

HTH :cheers:

Edit: As I said worse by the day according to this Wikipedia entry it was XP/Vista.

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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But Windows Defender on Windows 7 and prior was anti-spyware only. Windows Defender acquired anti-virus capability (like MSE) in Windows 8 and 10.

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So on a Win 7 Home Premium system, one should install both in order to have anti-virus? Meaning to have both anti-spyware AND anti-virus on Win 7 systems.

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So on a Win 7 Home Premium system, one should install both in order to have anti-virus? Meaning to have both anti-spyware AND anti-virus on Win 7 systems.

34. What about Windows Defender?
Windows Defender (on Windows 7, Vista, and XP) provided spyware protection only.
MSE provides protection against spyware, viruses, Trojans, worms, root kits, and malicious scripts. Therefore, there is no need for Windows Defender.
• On Windows 7/Vista, MSE should disable Defender. If not, you should disable it.
Microsoft Security Essentials Consolidated FAQ

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Neither MSE or WD are well rated.

The free Panda antivirus is gaining some reputation and the free MBAM for your scanner would be recommended.

http://www.pandasecurity.com/uk/homeusers/solutions/free-antivirus/

https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/

I don’t use Panda but after installing MBAM and it has updated its Definitions, click on Settings/Detection and Protection then use the dropdowns to treat PuPs and PuMs as malware.

Then go Start – type services.msc and press enter then scroll down to MBAM – right click on it and select Properties then use the dropdown to change to Disabled – Apply – OK

Close Services and reboot.

MBAM will still start from the desktop icon as and when but will not be using up resources from boot.

You can turn WD off to save you from being pestered with updates for it.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/turn-windows-defender-on-off#turn-windows-defender-on-off=windows-7

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Neither MSE or WD are well rated.

And I know an arrogant SOB of a so-called IT expert who can, reluctantly, testify to that after one of his clients network got hit with CryptoLocker – twice.

BUT, if you are taking about a personal computer and you are careful what you do and have good control over your email and browsing – it should do the job. As mentioned, a monthly checkup with Malwarebytes is always a good idea.

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Actually, ratings for Windows Defender/MSE have improved significantly although it is still near the bottom of the pack. Personally, along with periodic runs of Malwarebytes, I think it is good enough and it is by far the least intrusive and easiest to use AV application.

Jerry

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Personally, along with periodic runs of Malwarebytes, I think it is good enough and it is by far the least intrusive and easiest to use AV application.

Thank you, Jerry.
I STRONGLY second that vote of confidence. IMHO all these “ratings” on AV comparisons leave usability issues totally unaddressed. If the user simply does not understand the tech jargon of ANY security suite and/or gets confused by the insistent and sometimes outright tricky ways some vendors keep pushing their for pay upgrades then this user will do the wrong thing, sooner or later, guaranteed.

Most of my customers are, in their own words, just plain computer illiterate and this crowd has over the last 12 years done very well indeed with MSE and now Defender and an eventual occasional manual scan with Malwarebytes Anti Malware Free.

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Thank you, Jerry.
I STRONGLY second that vote of confidence. IMHO all these “ratings” on AV comparisons leave usability issues totally unaddressed. If the user simply does not understand the tech jargon of ANY security suite and/or gets confused …

I also second Jerry’s vote of confidence. The average user is not likely to be any better protected by an AV suite that requires his/her understanding of and interaction with various settings and prompts. And when there are usability issues or when something breaks because of the AV application, these same neophytes may uninstall or disable AV altogether as a solution.

The OP started this thread to clarify the confusion between Windows Defender and MSE. He wasn’t asking for alternatives, and later stated he would continue using Windows Defender. I think it is important to assure him that a great many of us use Defender with confidence and without “issues.”

~RonR

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AFAIK CryptoLocker is usually self inflicted by the user though and isn’t something that would normally be picked up by an AV program.

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AFAIK CryptoLocker is usually self inflicted by the user though and isn’t something that would normally be picked up by an AV program.

I think you’re right on the first count, but perhaps not on the second:

MSE (Windows 7) and WD (Win.8/10) have detected/prevented (probably) Cryptolocker for 2.5 years;

Is any work being done at Microsoft to enable Security Essentials to detect an attack by Ransomware such as Cryptolocker?

Cryptolocker Virus: I was wondering if Microsoft Security Essential (Win 7) and Windows Defender (Win 8) will stop this infection?

But of course, as with any malware, it’s a question of keeping up-to-date with the latest variants.

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MSE (Windows 7) and WD (Win.8/10) have detected/prevented (probably) Cryptolocker for 2.5 years;

MSE didn’t help these folks 2 years ago and they had no Group policies in effect either. I’m not sure how many actually do work now, and MS has come quite a way, but it still seems underpowered for anything beyond a home computer.

FWIW, Bitdefender has a free standalone blocker.

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I think you’re right on the first count, but perhaps not on the second:

MSE (Windows 7) and WD (Win.8/10) have detected/prevented (probably) Cryptolocker for 2.5 years;

Is any work being done at Microsoft to enable Security Essentials to detect an attack by Ransomware such as Cryptolocker?

Cryptolocker Virus: I was wondering if Microsoft Security Essential (Win 7) and Windows Defender (Win 8) will stop this infection?

But of course, as with any malware, it’s a question of keeping up-to-date with the latest variants.

Your first link suggests MSE will be playing catch up which I suppose is true for all AV programs, whereas it has a bead on one variant as in the second link.

There are 3rd party programs such as CryptoPrevent which is specifically designed to block them but it has to be kept up to date with its Definitions as does any AV program.

I wouldn’t recommend that program though as it was blocking Control Panel cmds on mine and I found it difficult to uninstall and had to use my restore points to get rid of it.

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I lost interest in MSE after reading a few years ago that Microsoft doesn’t put much effort into it. However, the fact that MSE / Windows Defender is free, set-and-forget, and very easy to use means that people will actually use it. That, along with carefulness on the part of the user, means that the user will likely get at least adequate protection from it.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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I’ll use MSE for the time being.
Thanks for all the input,
Bill

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Sudo,

The blocking of Control Panel commands (.cpl) is controllable by settings in the Advanced Settings menu of Cryptolocker.

Zig

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Sudo,

The blocking of Control Panel commands (.cpl) is controllable by settings in the Advanced Settings menu of Cryptolocker.

Zig

CryptoLocker or CryptoPrevent ?

I think I remember now someone else mentioning that at the time but it still isn’t getting reinstalled.

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Cryptoprevent. – My bad.

Zig

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@jwitalka @eikelein @ruosChalet

I concur. Many of my clients have likewise managed well with MSE or Windows Defender, and Malwarebytes.

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If a user does not want to learn about AV products and is content to accept an inferior level of protection, then that is his/her prerogative.

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If a user does not want to learn … then that is his/her prerogative.

Basically correct.

What us techies and semi-techies like myself all too often forget is not about wanting or not wanting to learn.

It’s much more the users I refer to don’t have ANY of the computing know-how background that IMHO undeniably is required to even to begin to learn about this sort of things.

Plus the sad, sad fact that with advanced age the ability to learn diminishes. With age a human brain looses what they call plasticity and that, as I understand it, correlates directly to the ability to learn.

It is a sneaky, slow and VERY hard to perceive process that creeps up on you very stealthily; Trev, wait until you get there. But then, you may already have forgotten… ;;-))

Not to talk about off-topic… 😉

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If a user does not want to learn about AV products and is content to accept an inferior level of protection, then that is his/her prerogative.

Even with excellent protection, some users simply are prone to pick up adware/spyware whenever they surf the web. (I have a couple of friends like that.)

On the other hand, some users never pick up anything bad. My wife was like that before I met her. She didn’t have much protection, but her computer stayed as clean as a whistle, because she was very careful about where she went and what she clicked on.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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On the other hand, some users never pick up anything bad. My wife was like that before I met her.

Not even gonna TOUCH that.

Zig

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Not even gonna TOUCH that.

Zig

Why the dirty mind? It is obvious I was speaking of computer malware, nothing more.

Group "L" (Linux Mint)
with Windows 10 running in a remote session on my file server

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Antivirus app testing labs:
https://www.icsalabs.com/
http://www.virusbtn.com/index
http://www.westcoastlabs.com/checkmark/vendorList/?techGroupID=27
http://www.av-test.org/
http://www.av-comparatives.org/

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Microsoft is working to enhance threat protection in Windows 10 with Windows Defender ‘Advanced Threat Protection’, but it’s important to note that many other ‘baked in’ Windows 10 Security features that may or may not be affected, disabled (or merely unecessarily duplicated) by installing third party security suites might include Protected Mode, SmartScreen Filtering, InPrivate Filtering or others.

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/03/01/announcing-windows-defender-advanced-threat-protection/

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