More than 1.5 million Windows users downloaded Microsoft's
free anti-virus and anti-malware tool,Security Essentialsin the week after it was
released, the software firm has claimed.
Almost four million pieces of malware were detected on 535,752
machines in the same period, according to a Microsoft
blog post.
The company's Security Essentials software provides basic
anti-virus protection to licensed users of the Windows operating
system not covered by other security software.
"In one week, Microsoft Security Essentials is making a big
difference to those people using it on their computers," the blog
post said.
The free software has proved most popular with business users of
the Windows 7 operating system, which is due for consumer release
later this week.
According to Microsoft, 44% of Security Essentials users are
running Windows 7, followed by XP (33 %) and Vista (23%).
Fifty two per cent of malware detected in the first week was
found on machines running XP, followed by Vista (32%) and Windows 7
(16%).
"This follows our usual observed trend of seeing less malware on
newer OS and service packs," the blog post said.
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