I have a Win7 machine on the bench now and noticed MSE is still getting updates.

Since the owner is keeping FF updated and uses the machine to do nothing other than sell books on eBay...I think he should be relatively ok.

How long do you think MSE will still get updates?

He's hoping not to need a new machine.
This one does not have the specs for Win10

philo wrote:
> I have a Win7 machine on the bench now and noticed MSE is still getting
> updates.
>
> Since the owner is keeping FF updated and uses the machine to do nothing
> other than sell books on eBay...I think he should be relatively ok.
>
> How long do you think MSE will still get updates?
>
> He's hoping not to need a new machine.
> This one does not have the specs for Win10

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Defender

"Before Windows 8, Windows Defender only protected users against spyware.[7]

It includes a number of real-time security agents that monitor several
common areas of Windows for changes which might have been caused by spyware.

It also has the ability to remove installed ActiveX software.[8]

Windows Defender featured an integrated support for Microsoft SpyNet
that allows users to report to Microsoft what they consider to be spyware,
and what applications and device drivers they allow to be installed on their
systems.

Protection against viruses was subsequently added in Windows 8; <===
which resembles Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). It also
uses the same anti-malware engine and virus definitions from MSE."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Security_Essentials

"Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is an antivirus software (AV)
product that provides protection against different types of malicious
software, such as computer viruses, spyware, rootkits, and trojan horses."

OK, let's make a list:

Win7: WD is antispyware only, receives updates.
MSE was optional install, more comprehensive, but update switched off 2020.

Win8: WD in this case is MSE, and right now, still receives definitions.
Definitions might well stop in 2023.

Win10: WD in this case is MSE, definitions might well stop in 2025.

WD renamed to MD, at some point, just to confuse things.

Conclusion: Machine is poorly protected at present.

And you know how poor and spiteful the freebies are.
(Laden with crap needing to be switched off, have
advertising and the appearance of "hand-extended for paid upgrade"
as part of their schtick.)

Avast bought AVG. And a few days ago, Avast and Norton, merged.
Avast also has Piriform CCleaner and Recuva.

Malwarebytes offers a trial mode that turns into a freebie
at the end of the trial period. Just don't whip out your credit
card if it starts pestering you.

I don't know if there are any other freebies of note or not.

Paul

Thanks for the reply.
Machine is on my bench now and I confirmed it has a recent MSE update.

philo wrote:
> Thanks for the reply.
> Machine is on my bench now and I confirmed it has a recent MSE update.

OK, found a reference here.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/what-is-microsoft-security-essentials-c25ad47a-7d15-8072-1438-b07dffcbbb20

"Yes, we will continue to provide signature updates
for Microsoft Security Essentials until 2023."

You can't download its installer any more, but the signatures
it needs are claimed to be available until then.

They don't give the lifecycle info here, but there
are files, and presumably updated daily. Maybe if
2023 arrives, one of the lines here will disappear or something.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates

Paul

The machine was mostly updated but a few would not install. After a disk cleanup including system update cache etc, all is now working so I'll be returning the machine today.

Paul <nospam@needed.invalid> wrote in news:sfq7rs$104$1@dont-email.me:

> philo wrote:
>> Thanks for the reply.
>> Machine is on my bench now and I confirmed it has a recent MSE
>> update.
>
> OK, found a reference here.
>
> https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/what-is-microsoft-security-
> essentials-c25ad47a-7d15-8072-1438-b07dffcbbb20
>
> "Yes, we will continue to provide signature updates
> for Microsoft Security Essentials until 2023."
>
> You can't download its installer any more, but the signatures
> it needs are claimed to be available until then.
>
> They don't give the lifecycle info here, but there
> are files, and presumably updated daily. Maybe if
> 2023 arrives, one of the lines here will disappear or something.
>
> https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi/defenderupdates
>
> Paul

Yep. On my Win10 machine, July 29, 2019 was the last Definition Update I
got for MSE.

July 30, 2019 was the first day I got the Security Intelligence Update
for MSE. I've gotten one or two of these updates every day, ever since,
for whatever they're worth.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/RCX7dVt