Microsoft To Offer Free Security Software For Small Businesses

Microsoft said today that beginning in early October, it will offer Microsoft Security Essentials for free to small businesses with up to 10 PCs.

“Small-business owners just want to concentrate on running the business, without worrying about PCs going down,” says Jeff Smith, director of Marketing for Microsoft Security Essentials.

“We talk to lots of small-business customers every day, and we understand that security is a top priority.”

Originally released last year for single-PC use at home, Microsoft Security Essentials was designed as a security solution in a lightweight package. Smith says a growing chorus of requests prompted Microsoft to extend the service to small businesses.

“When we launched Microsoft Security Essentials last year, small businesses kept telling us that it was exactly the type of thing they need at work too,” says Smith.

“What they really wanted from their antivirus software — inexpensive, quiet protection from a provider they can trust — were all things Microsoft Security Essentials could clearly deliver.”

Microsoft Security Essentials can be downloaded, installed and put to work with just a few clicks. Upon installation, it scans the PC to make sure it’s clean from the start. Once Microsoft Security Essentials is working, it downloads updates and schedules scans on its own.