Microsoft recently acquired a company called
GIANT that specialised in producing anti-spy ware software. Microsoft has now
released a beta (test) version of a new product that uses the GIANT database
technology.
This is the latest attempt by Microsoft to
help users to combat threats to their computing environment. Many blame
Microsoft for the many supposed flaws in their Windows operating system
technologies. It is true that there are security flaws in many Microsoft
products, but MS has a good track record in releasing fixes for most of them immediately
and at no cost to users.
In fact, threats from “spyware” are not
indicative of shortcomings in Microsoft’s software. They derive from attempts
by many large international corporations (as well as smaller ones) to invade
our “cyber-space” in an attempt to advertise their products and services,
usually in a devious way.
The beta test version of the new software is
freely available for download. However, initial reaction from many users is
that there are still a few “bugs” that need to be resolved.
One unresolved issue is whether Microsoft
will be charging for the final product, when it is fully tested.
For the not so feint-hearted, the beta
software can be downloaded for free from
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
The message from Alan Finch of May Day
Consulting is that it works (it caught about 3 or 4 missed by other free
products), is easy to set up and well worth a trial; at least whilst it is
free.
