Microsoft Security Essentials provides real-time protection for your home PC that guards against viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.
Microsoft Security Essentials is a free* download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.
Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times.
Minimum system requirements for Microsoft Security Essentials
Operating System: Genuine Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3); Windows Vista (Gold, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2); Windows 7
For Windows XP, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 500 MHz or higher, and 256 MB RAM or higher.
For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher, and 1 GB RAM or higher.
VGA display of 800 × 600 or higher.
200 MB of available hard disk space.
An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Security Essentials.
Internet Browser:
Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later.
Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later.
Microsoft Security Essentials also supports Windows XP Mode in Windows 7. For more information, see the system requirements for Windows XP Mode in Windows 7
This version of Microsoft® Security Essentials includes the following new features and enhancements to better help protect your computer from threats:
Windows Firewall integration. Security Essentials setup enables you to turn on or off Windows Firewall.
Network Inspection System. This feature enhances real-time protection by inspecting network traffic to help proactively block exploitation of known network-based vulnerabilities.
New and improved protection engine. The updated engine offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities with better performance.
These features are described in more detail in the following sections.
Windows Firewall integration
Windows Firewall can help prevent attackers or malicious software from gaining access to your computer through the Internet or a network. Now when you install Security Essentials, the installation wizard verifies that Windows Firewall is turned on. If you have intentionally turned off Windows Firewall, you can avoid turning it on by clearing a check box. You can change your Windows Firewall settings at any time via the System and Security settings in Control Panel.
Network Inspection System
Attackers are increasingly carrying out network-based attacks against exposed vulnerabilities before software vendors can develop and distribute security updates. Studies of vulnerabilities show that it can take a month or longer from the time of an initial attack report before a suitable security update is developed, tested, and released. This gap in protection leaves many computers vulnerable to attacks and exploitation for a substantial period of time. Network Inspection System works with real-time protection to better protect you against network-based attacks by greatly reducing the timespan between vulnerability disclosures and update deployment from weeks to a few hours.
Award-winning protection engine
Under the hood of Security Essentials is its award-winning protection engine that is updated regularly. The engine is backed by a team of antimalware researchers from the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, providing responses to the latest malware threats 24 hours a day.
Microsoft Security Essentials works automatically with Microsoft Update to ensure that your virus and spyware definitions are kept up to date.
Symptoms
This article addresses common issues with automatic updates, including the following situations:
You see error messages indicating that updates have failed.
When you check for updates, you receive an error message that the virus and spyware definition updates cannot be checked, downloaded, or installed.
Even though you are connected to the Internet, the updates fail.
Updates are not automatically installing as scheduled.
Cause
The most common causes for update issues are problems with Internet connectivity. For help with Internet connectivity, see I can't connect to the Internet issue (General topic). However, if you know you are connected to the Internet because you can browse to other Web sites, the issue might be caused by conflicts with your settings in Windows Internet Explorer.
Solution
Important:
You have to exit Internet Explorer to complete these steps. Therefore, print them, write them down, or copy them to another file, and then bookmark this topic for future access.
Step 1: Reset your Internet Explorer settings
Exit all open programs, including Internet Explorer.
Note:
Resetting these settings in Internet Explorer deletes your temporary files, cookies, browsing history, and your online passwords. But, your favorites are not deleted.
Click Start, and in the Start Search box, type inetcpl.cpl, and then press Enter.
In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
Under the Reset Internet Explorer settings, click Reset, and then click Reset again.
Wait until Internet Explorer finishes resetting the settings, and then click OK.
Open Internet Explorer.
Open Microsoft Security Essentials, click the Update tab, and then click Update.
If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Set Internet Explorer as the default browser
Exit all open programs, including Internet Explorer.
Click Start, and in the Start Search box, type inetcpl.cpl, and then press Enter.
In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Programs tab.
Under Default Web browser, click Make default.
Click OK.
Open Microsoft Security Essentials. Click the Update tab, and then click Update.
If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Ensure that the date and time are set correctly on your computer
Open Security Essentials.
If the error message that you received contains the code 0x80072f8f, the problem is most likely caused by an incorrect date or time setting on your computer.
To reset your computer's date or time setting, follow the steps in Fix broken desktop shortcuts and common system maintenance tasks (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=155579).
Step 4: Rename the Software Distribution folder on your computer
Stop the Automatic Updates service
Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
Right-click the Automatic Updates service, and then click Stop.
Minimize the Services snap-in.
Rename the SoftwareDistribution directory as follows:
Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
Type cd %windir%, and then press Enter.
Type ren SoftwareDistribution SDTemp, and then press Enter.
Type exit, and then press Enter.
Start the Automatic Updates service as follows:
Maximize the Services snap-in.
Right-click Automatic Updates service, and then click Start.
Close the Services snap-in window.
Step 5: Reset the Microsoft antivirus update engine on your computer
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then right-click Command Prompt, and then select Run as administrator.
In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands and press Enter after each command:
Cd\
Cd program files\microsoft security essentials
Mpcmdrun –removedefinitions –all
Exit
Restart your computer.
Open Security Essentials, click the Update tab, and then click Update.
If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.
Step 6: Manually install the virus and spyware definition updates
If you are running a 32-bit Windows operating system, download the latest updates manually at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87342 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87342).
If you are running a 64-bit Windows operating system, download the latest updates manually at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87341 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87341).
Click Run. The latest updates are manually installed on your computer.
Note:
If you were able to manually install virus and spyware definitions, the problem is most likely caused by a download issue. To learn how to resolve download issues, see I can't download Microsoft Security Essentials.
Step 7: Contact Support
If the steps did not resolve the issue, contact support. For more information, see Customer Support (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=196174).
Microsoft Security Essentials is a free* download from Microsoft that is simple to install, easy to use, and always kept up to date so you can be assured your PC is protected by the latest technology. It’s easy to tell if your PC is secure — when you’re green, you’re good. It’s that simple.
Microsoft Security Essentials runs quietly and efficiently in the background so that you are free to use your Windows-based PC the way you want—without interruptions or long computer wait times.
Minimum system requirements for Microsoft Security Essentials
Operating System: Genuine Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3); Windows Vista (Gold, Service Pack 1, or Service Pack 2); Windows 7
For Windows XP, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 500 MHz or higher, and 256 MB RAM or higher.
For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with a CPU clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher, and 1 GB RAM or higher.
VGA display of 800 × 600 or higher.
200 MB of available hard disk space.
An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions for Microsoft Security Essentials.
Internet Browser:
Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later.
Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later.
Microsoft Security Essentials also supports Windows XP Mode in Windows 7. For more information, see the system requirements for Windows XP Mode in Windows 7
This version of Microsoft® Security Essentials includes the following new features and enhancements to better help protect your computer from threats:
Windows Firewall integration. Security Essentials setup enables you to turn on or off Windows Firewall.
Network Inspection System. This feature enhances real-time protection by inspecting network traffic to help proactively block exploitation of known network-based vulnerabilities.
New and improved protection engine. The updated engine offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities with better performance.
These features are described in more detail in the following sections.
Windows Firewall integration
Windows Firewall can help prevent attackers or malicious software from gaining access to your computer through the Internet or a network. Now when you install Security Essentials, the installation wizard verifies that Windows Firewall is turned on. If you have intentionally turned off Windows Firewall, you can avoid turning it on by clearing a check box. You can change your Windows Firewall settings at any time via the System and Security settings in Control Panel.
Network Inspection System
Attackers are increasingly carrying out network-based attacks against exposed vulnerabilities before software vendors can develop and distribute security updates. Studies of vulnerabilities show that it can take a month or longer from the time of an initial attack report before a suitable security update is developed, tested, and released. This gap in protection leaves many computers vulnerable to attacks and exploitation for a substantial period of time. Network Inspection System works with real-time protection to better protect you against network-based attacks by greatly reducing the timespan between vulnerability disclosures and update deployment from weeks to a few hours.
Award-winning protection engine
Under the hood of Security Essentials is its award-winning protection engine that is updated regularly. The engine is backed by a team of antimalware researchers from the Microsoft Malware Protection Center, providing responses to the latest malware threats 24 hours a day.
Microsoft Security Essentials works automatically with Microsoft Update to ensure that your virus and spyware definitions are kept up to date.
Symptoms
This article addresses common issues with automatic updates, including the following situations:
You see error messages indicating that updates have failed.
When you check for updates, you receive an error message that the virus and spyware definition updates cannot be checked, downloaded, or installed.
Even though you are connected to the Internet, the updates fail.
Updates are not automatically installing as scheduled.
Cause
The most common causes for update issues are problems with Internet connectivity. For help with Internet connectivity, see I can't connect to the Internet issue (General topic). However, if you know you are connected to the Internet because you can browse to other Web sites, the issue might be caused by conflicts with your settings in Windows Internet Explorer.
Solution
Important:
You have to exit Internet Explorer to complete these steps. Therefore, print them, write them down, or copy them to another file, and then bookmark this topic for future access.
Step 1: Reset your Internet Explorer settings
Exit all open programs, including Internet Explorer.
Note:
Resetting these settings in Internet Explorer deletes your temporary files, cookies, browsing history, and your online passwords. But, your favorites are not deleted.
Click Start, and in the Start Search box, type inetcpl.cpl, and then press Enter.
In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
Under the Reset Internet Explorer settings, click Reset, and then click Reset again.
Wait until Internet Explorer finishes resetting the settings, and then click OK.
Open Internet Explorer.
Open Microsoft Security Essentials, click the Update tab, and then click Update.
If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Set Internet Explorer as the default browser
Exit all open programs, including Internet Explorer.
Click Start, and in the Start Search box, type inetcpl.cpl, and then press Enter.
In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Programs tab.
Under Default Web browser, click Make default.
Click OK.
Open Microsoft Security Essentials. Click the Update tab, and then click Update.
If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.
Step 3: Ensure that the date and time are set correctly on your computer
Open Security Essentials.
If the error message that you received contains the code 0x80072f8f, the problem is most likely caused by an incorrect date or time setting on your computer.
To reset your computer's date or time setting, follow the steps in Fix broken desktop shortcuts and common system maintenance tasks (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=155579).
Step 4: Rename the Software Distribution folder on your computer
Stop the Automatic Updates service
Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
Right-click the Automatic Updates service, and then click Stop.
Minimize the Services snap-in.
Rename the SoftwareDistribution directory as follows:
Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
Type cd %windir%, and then press Enter.
Type ren SoftwareDistribution SDTemp, and then press Enter.
Type exit, and then press Enter.
Start the Automatic Updates service as follows:
Maximize the Services snap-in.
Right-click Automatic Updates service, and then click Start.
Close the Services snap-in window.
Step 5: Reset the Microsoft antivirus update engine on your computer
Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, and then right-click Command Prompt, and then select Run as administrator.
In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands and press Enter after each command:
Cd\
Cd program files\microsoft security essentials
Mpcmdrun –removedefinitions –all
Exit
Restart your computer.
Open Security Essentials, click the Update tab, and then click Update.
If the issue persists, proceed to the next step.
Step 6: Manually install the virus and spyware definition updates
If you are running a 32-bit Windows operating system, download the latest updates manually at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87342 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87342).
If you are running a 64-bit Windows operating system, download the latest updates manually at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87341 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=87341).
Click Run. The latest updates are manually installed on your computer.
Note:
If you were able to manually install virus and spyware definitions, the problem is most likely caused by a download issue. To learn how to resolve download issues, see I can't download Microsoft Security Essentials.
Step 7: Contact Support
If the steps did not resolve the issue, contact support. For more information, see Customer Support (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=196174).
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