Microsoft tempers Exchange letdown with anti-spyware beta release
Microsoft tempers Exchange letdown with anti-spyware beta release
Jan 7, 2005: Microsoft's decision to ditch plans to release anti-virus and anti-spam improvements to the Exchange email server will be sure to disappoint many of its customers, despite Microsoft's assertion that it will have little impact, but at least the blow was softened somewhat with the release of the free beta version of Microsoft's anti-spyware application.
The company's Exchange Edge Services were to be rolled out this year, but will not now see the light of day until the next version of the Exchange Server is introduced, which is expected to arrive towards the end of 2006.
Microsoft claimed the delay would have little impact, as many customers are still in the process of upgrading their Exchange email servers to Exchange Server 2003, but for those who bought upgrade rights for Exchange in the latter part of 2001 and the early part of 2002 would have to sign a new agreement or purchase new licenses by the time the next version of Exchange – complete with enhancements – is shipped.
On a brighter note, Microsoft has come good on its commitment to introduce a beta version of a spyware protection, detection, and removal tool within a month of acquiring the technology from Giant Software.
Mike Nash, the corporate vice president of the security business and technology unit at Microsoft, outlined how the spyware protection application will work.
"The spyware removal engine uses a constantly updated database of thousands of signatures - definitions of known potential threats - to automatically scan a computer’s memory, files and registry for spyware and other potentially unwanted software. Besides detecting and removing known threats, Windows AntiSpyware also provides always-on protection to actively prevent spyware from being installed on a PC. Windows XP SP 2 already provides protection against two common ways that a lot of spyware installs itself.
"The new pop-up blocker in Internet Explorer helps thwart installation by means of pop-up ads, and the Internet Explorer Information Bar helps suppress unsolicited downloads.
"Windows AntiSpyware helps provide protection against a number of other vectors that spyware can use to infiltrate a system. For example, it includes real-time protection agents that constantly monitor more than 50 security checkpoints for changes made by spyware and other unwanted software. If known spyware is detected at these checkpoints, the user will get a warning. If an unknown program is detected at a checkpoint, intelligent alerts ask the user to determine whether to let the program continue."
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