Microsoft's Free Anti-Malware Product is Out Today

Microsoft is officially launching it's antivirus tool today following a Beta launch in June.

The Redmond-based company pushed out a beta of Microsoft Security Essentials in June, making the software available to users in the United States, Israel (English only), People's Republic of China (Simplified Chinese only) and Brazil (Brazilian Portuguese only). However Bob Muglia, the president of Microsoft's server and tools division said that the tool will be available for everyone today.

Formerly known as Morro, Microsoft Security Essentials endeavors to provide basic protection from various types of malicious software, including trojans, spyware, viruses and even rootkits. Following today's launch Microsoft will completely discontinue OneCare, the company’s current security software that it released three years ago.

While Microsoft's offer of a free security suite that requires no registration, trial or renewal sounds like something that would have competitors worried, it seems major rivals are unfazed by the product. When the Beta launched, neither Symantec nor McAfee batted an eyelid.

Janice Chaffin, Symantec's Consumer division president, said that Morro is basically a stripped down version of OneCare. "A full Internet security suite is what consumers require today to stay fully protected," she told Reuters when news of the software broke this past summer. McAfee said it remained confident in its ability to compete with "anyone who might enter the marketplace."

Download MSE by visiting the download page here and be sure to let us know what you think.