Thursday, 10 November 2005

Windows AntiSpyware Morphs Into Windows Defender

Microsoft's beta antispyware program will be called Windows Defender in its final version and will include protection against rootkits and keystroke loggers, a company official said. Microsoft released its Windows AntiSpyware beta in January after buying the underlying antispyware technology from Giant Company Software late last year. Explaining the name change, Microsoft anti-malware team architect and group product manager Jason Garms blogged, "It's more positive than 'Windows AntiSpyware.'"

The anti-malware engine will be moved to a system service and malware signatures will be delivered over Windows Update, Garms wrote in a post Friday. While the changes are planned for Windows Vista, Garms said Windows Defender will also be available for Windows XP.

Garms said adding the ability to remove rootkits and keystroke loggers fits with Microsoft's plan for the product now known as Windows Defender. "We’ve always said we will provide visibility and control, as well as protection, detection and removal from other potentially unwanted software, including rootkits, keystroke loggers and more," he wrote.