Windows Defender is Microsoft’s latest AntiSpyware and Real-Time protection software.  Claiming to have a multitude of enhancements and improvements over it’s previous version, Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta One), such as a better and more reliable real-time protection, a facilitated user interface, and improved scanning and removal of spyware, Windows Defender certainly looks like a promising solution to spyware and other malicious software.  But, looks can be deceiving.  Is Windows Defender really as good as it appears to be, or not? In this article, I am hoping to touch on the advantages of using Windows Defender, depict some of its specific features, and go into the installation and set up processes.

Improvements
First off, I am going to cover the improvements of Windows Defender (Beta Two) over Microsoft’s previous version.  Such improvements and enhancements include:

• A new scanning engine to provide a more effective way to peruse for spyware.


• Windows Defender provides added protection against keyloggers and rootkits.


• Use of Windows Update to keep definitions up to date with the newest spyware threats (See: Attack of the Bugs).


• A claimed “simplified user interface and alerts”, which is a blessing considering Beta One’s horrid alert system.


• A Computer history log, which tracks all the actions which Windows Defender has allowed to occur, and which ones it hasn’t allowed to occur.


• Better software controls, allowing the user to edit and manage Startup Programs, currently running programs, network connected programs, and Winsock Service Providers.


• And, while this really isn’t an improvement exactly, Windows Defender doesn’t have a ridiculous yellow/orange target-shaped tray-icon anymore.  Instead, it was replaced with a castle wall style icon (great, eh?).

What Else Is Different
For starters, those of you who have been long time Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware users like myself, are going to notice a big change if you make the switch to Windows Defender.  Not only did the user interface undergo a major facelift, but some of our beloved features seem to have been left out in Microsoft’s latest solution to spyware.  Unfortunately, Windows Defender doesn’t come packaged with Tracks Eraser, like Beta One.  Now, I am guessing that most Microsoft AntiSpyware users didn’t even know about this handy function (due to the fact that it was tucked away and hidden from simple view) but I for one used to use Tracks Eraser daily and am quite upset this feature is missing. Additionally, Windows Defender is associated with Microsoft SpyNet.  SpyNet is basically a community where users can view how others have reacted to ‘unidentified’ possible threats to further assist in making crucial spyware prevention decisions.  Have no fear though, joining SpyNet is completely optional and by no means a requirement.

Other Features
Windows Defender isn’t simply a spyware scanner and removal utility, it also contains a variety of other useful features both related and unrelated to spyware removal.  Such features include:

• Reversible software removal.  This is handy in case Windows Defender accidentally prompts the user to remove software which the user desires to keep, or if the user mistakenly removes a start-up program.


• A constant “safeguard” which is manufactured to target specific spyware entry points and protect against the infiltration of spyware.


• Compatibility with other spyware scanners and removal tools so the user doesn’t have to worry about software conflicts.


• Automatic replacement of Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware.  Personally, I don’t agree with this feature and would much have rather seen an option to replace Microsoft AntiSpyware or simply disable it, but it does make life simpler for many people.

Attack of the Bugs
At the moment, Windows Defender is still quite buggy.  While the program still performs correctly and properly identifies / removes spyware, I would recommend not downloading and installing Windows Defender if the user doesn’t want to deal with any of the known issues.  Some common bugs which have been identified so far are as follows: (Keep in mind that these are only some of the issues I know of, and it is highly possible that some or all of these issues could be fixed by the time you read this.)

• The Windows Defender installer doesn’t, in some cases, work with Windows which is running in a different language – other than English.


• Windows Update stumbles on installing the updated definitions by claiming to successfully have installed the updates, and then continuing afterward to pester the user about updates which are available for installation.  This is a bit of a nuisance and a hard issue to put up with, in my opinion.


• The removal of some detected spyware-related P2P programs within Windows Defender may also result in the removal of the default folder for storing downloaded files.  This essentially means that the user will need to back up his/her files which were downloaded from a P2P application before using Defender to abolish the existence of such P2P apps, or else the user risks loosing their downloaded files also.

Note that the list of other known issues with Windows Defender goes on, but those are a few of the major ones which I felt were the most appropriate to include in this article to assure future Windows Defender users understand the issues and bugs associated with the application.  So don’t be alarmed if Windows Defender doesn’t update properly or doesn’t run on your computer if it’s default language isn’t English.  Remember, Windows Defender is still in a Beta state, and program bugs are bound to come with the territory.