Redmond, Washington — Facing a trickled sales for the past three years, the Redmond, Washington, software makers’ Live OneCare anti-malware product is about to be revolutionized with a long-awaited free anti-virus software codenamed “Morro,” currently being tested internally and will be released soon in beta that will focus much more strongly on security and malware protection, besides competing with applications marketed by Symantec Corp. and McAfee Inc., according to a company spokesperson.
A Microsoft spokesman last week confirmed that the world’s biggest software maker is geared-up to release an early version of the product with its own employees. Microsoft would “soon” make a trial version, or product beta, available via its website, he added, but declined to provide a specific date.
According to Microsoft’s spokesperson, presently it is vague what Morro will be and speculations currently range from a very basic malware package that compares to other free offerings available from companies such as Grisoft to a full replacement for Microsoft’s commercial OneCare anti-malware solution, a product that never was as successful as Microsoft had hoped.
Codenamed “Morro,” the anti-malware application is promised to offer “basic protection” against common threats from malware on the Internet. The company has said Morro will be released by the end of the year.
Microsoft first announced Live OneCare in May 2005, and Morro is Microsoft’s second venture in the highly competitive security market. However, the Windows Live OneCare service has failed to make appealing impact on the many customers and turn them away from rivals such as Symantec and McAfee.
Then, in November, Microsoft said that it will discontinue selling the three-year-old Live OneCare service at the end of June 2009.
Now Micorosoft’s new software, Morro will focus on delevering consumer security, while Live OneCare offers maintenance, backup and performance tuning in addition to security functions like antivirus and malware detection and removal.
“In November 2008, Microsoft announced plans to deliver a new no-cost anti-malware solution to consumers in the second half of calendar year 2009. Code-named [Morro] the solution is designed to provide comprehensive protection from malware including viruses, spyware and other malicious threats,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Among the categories of malware that Morro aims to protect against are viruses, spyware, rootkits and Trojans.
OneCare was launched in 2006; the retail version of the software is now planned to be phased out by the end of this month. No replacement for OneCare has been announced so far.
“Customers around the world have told us that they need comprehensive, ongoing protection from new and existing threats, and we take that concern seriously,” said Amy Barzdukas, senior director of product management for the Online Services and Windows Division at Microsoft, in the original Morro announcement from November 2008. “This new, no-cost offering will give us the ability to protect an even greater number of consumers, especially in markets where the growth of new PC purchases is outpaced only by the growth of malware.”
The company said that Morro will function in conjunction with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 and with “the ongoing security and privacy enhancements of Windows and Internet Explorer.” Other than traditional anti-malware software, will use (Microsoft) servers across the Internet to scan PCs for viruses, “making it ideal for low-bandwidth scenarios or less powerful PCs,” the company said.
Microsoft stated that Morro will cater to “basic features” for fighting a wide range of viruses, which would likely make it comparable to low-end consumer products from Symantec and McAfee that cost about $40 per year.
Janice Chaffin, Symantec’s president of consumer products, said customers wanted more than just basic protection.
“A full internet security suite is what consumers require today to stay fully protected,” she said.
Morro will soon be available as a download and will support Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.
Analysts said they are looking forward to Morro’s beta to see exactly how its features compare to those in products from competitors. Other companies, such as AVG and Alwil already produce and distribute free anti-virus products.
Joris Evers, a spokesman for No. 2 security software maker McAfee, said his company is already enjoying strong growth despite competition from free anti-virus products that are on the market.
“On a level playing field, we are confident in our ability to compete with anyone who might enter the marketplace,” he said.