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Morro screenshots reportedly leaked; Will it be cloud-based?
Updated Wednesday with Microsoft comment.
A Windows enthusiast blog on Tuesday posted what it says are leaked screenshots of Microsoft's upcoming free security software, code-named "Morro," which is due for public beta release soon.
The Neowin.net blog has three screenshots that it says it obtained from an anonymous source. The software is reportedly being tested internally at Microsoft.
Meanwhile, CNET News' sister site ZDNet is reporting that Morro will be almost entirely cloud-based.
"Instead of scanning every file or network packet as they arrive into the computer from the Web or an external device, it creates a virtual tunnel between your incoming Internet pipe at the back of your computer to a Morro data center, which scans every byte and packet for malware," writes Zack Whittaker on the iGeneration blog.
"This is factually incorrect but we have nothing to add at this time," a Microsoft spokesman wrote in an e-mail.
Microsoft announced in November that it was discontinuing the subscription-based Windows Live OneCare consumer security suite in favor of a free offering that protects against viruses, spyware, rootkits, and Trojans, but lacks some non-security features OneCare had like automated PC tuneup and printer sharing.
Subscription-based Windows Live OneCare is being replaced by the free Morro security offering.
(Credit: Microsoft)Microsoft said at the time that the new offering would be available in the second half of 2009. Windows Live OneCare will continue to be sold for Windows XP and Vista via retailers through June 30, 2009 (nearly $50 per year for up to three PCs), and direct sales will be gradually phased out as Morro becomes available.
Morro, which will be available for download over the Internet, will work on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and the upcoming Windows 7.
OneCare, launched three years ago, received mixed reviews but still managed to significantly shake up the security software market, resulting in generally lower prices.
I asked some security vendors whether they were considering offering free software to compete with Morro.
"With a number of free products already available, McAfee has experienced more than three years of global growth," a McAfee spokesman said. "On a level playing field, we are confident in our ability to compete with anyone who might enter the marketplace."
"Microsoft isn't going to change the business dynamic. Freeware is really about customer acquisition," Dave Cole, Symantec's senior director product management. "Norton offers trialware as a means to secure customers and even freeware vendors such as AVG, Avira, and Avast recommend upgrading to their payware solution for more complete protection. The reality is that shareware and freeware vendors have been in the market for 20-plus years. The freeware space is crowded and Microsoft is just joining the fray."
And this from Justin Priestley, senior vice president of consumer sales at Kaspersky Lab Americas: "Right now, Kaspersky Lab offers free access to our antivirus detection technology through our Web site, allowing consumers to scan their systems or suspicious files...and for the foreseeable future, that will be the extent of our no-charge offerings."
Elinor Mills covers Internet security and privacy. She joined CNET News in 2005 after working as a foreign correspondent for Reuters in Portugal and writing for The Industry Standard, the IDG News Service, and the Associated Press. E-mail Elinor. 
Just curious... why would you assume that Morro will offer less protection that OneCare in terms of antivirus/antimalware?
Infrarecorder
7 Zip
AVG
Thunderbird
I've also appreciated how simple Money was (as a former Quicken user) and am bummed that Microsoft would continue to pour money into a horrid product they don't charge for - Internot Exploder - while dropping paid programs I was happily paying for.
Microsoft, I'm trying to give you money. Won't you please take my money? I know... I feel as dirty thinking that as you do reading it.
Onecare was also good, and I used its 30-day trial on my personal laptop.. it seems to do the job. I got the updates frequently, and the virus definition database was maintained well. However, when it was time to pay up, I decided to use AVG instead, since it was free and worked well. Like onecare, AVG also has a low footprint.
If Morro is indeed free, and if like onecare and forefront it is not a memory hog, I will definitely use it as opposed to other solutions available on the market (particularly if Morro can detect everything - virus, spyware, etc... currently I install AVG as well as Spybot S&D to keep my machine clean).. Norton and McAfee better shakeup and think about how to tacke this.
[CNET editor's note: Offensive comment deleted.]
Its funny you call Windows users slaves.
But your the one running around doing your masters PR work. Sweet sweet irony.
Why don't you open a command line and type in Im_part_of_the_Apple_cult.
- by Dango517 June 18, 2009 3:51 AM PDT
- Consumer might ask themselves one question. "Why am I'm I buying or using software to fix my computer" and more specifically, my Windows OS? That answer is scale. Windows by far, out sales all other OSs. This being the case it is most susceptible to any possible hack imaginable. That Windows is primarily an American company has something to do with its vulnerabilities, as well as the vast amount of money generated by the Internet. Unfortunately they continue to miss the boat on what there priorities are and where the burden of responsibility falls.
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(25 Comments)Windows is large enough and should leave this one to the minor league players. Windows certainly has a large enough share of the computing market. In fact the Commerce Department should insist on it.