Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

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The Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool is freely-distributed software developed by Microsoft for their Windows operating system. The software was originally released by Microsoft in January 2005. It is updated on the second Tuesday of every month via Windows Update.

The software was released by Microsoft as a basic virus removal tool[1] in January 2005. The software is not in direct competition with established anti-virus programs such as Norton AntiVirus and McAfee Antivirus, but rather is an attempt by Microsoft to provide basic antivirus security to as many users as possible. Because the software is distributed via Microsoft's Windows Update service, it is seen by the majority of the company's customers who are connected to the Internet.

In a report released by Microsoft in June 2006,[2] the company claims that the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool has removed 16 million instances of malicious software, from an install base of 5.7 million unique Windows computers since the tool's release in January 2005. The report also states that, on average, the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool removes malicious software from every 1 in 313 computers it runs on.

[edit] References

  1. ^ John Savill (2005). Windows IT Pro - "What's the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool?". Retrieved on 2006-07-05.
  2. ^ The Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool: Progress Made, Trends Observed. Microsoft (2006). Retrieved on 2006-07-05.

[edit] External links

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