Microsoft Launches New Anti-Spyware Solutions

As part of its ongoing efforts to address current and emerging security threats to computer users, Microsoft Corp. (www.microsoft.com) today announced two new technology solutions that will provide added protection against spyware and malicious software.

Customers now can download the first beta version of Microsoft® Windows® AntiSpyware, a solution that will help protect Windows users from spyware and other potentially unwanted software.

In addition, the Microsoft Windows malicious software removal tool, which complements traditional antivirus technologies by removing prevalent viruses and worms from a PC, will be available beginning Jan. 11, 2005.

"Customers have told us that they need solutions that make it easier to keep computers protected from emerging and ever-changing threats," said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of the Security Business and Technology Unit at Microsoft. "The solutions we're announcing today will offer customers additional resources to help to protect their PCs against spyware and viruses on an ongoing and predictable basis."

Based on technology acquired from GIANT Company Software Inc. in December 2004, the beta release of Windows AntiSpyware will help reduce negative effects caused by spyware, including slow PC performance, annoying pop-up ads, unwanted changes to Internet settings and unauthorized use of private information. It is available for Microsoft Windows 2000 and later versions.

A critical aspect of any antispyware solution is the ability to determine which programs are truly unwanted -- a challenge compounded by the continual distribution of new spyware and other unwanted software. With Windows AntiSpyware, the worldwide SpyNet (TM) community plays a key role in determining which suspicious programs are classified as spyware.

In January 2004 Microsoft released a series of removal tools, each of which targeted a single virus or worm and some of its variants. Collectively, these tools augmented existing antivirus protections by scanning more than 55 million PCs worldwide for viruses such as Blaster, MyDoom and Download.Ject.