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Microsoft Chairman and chief software architect Bill Gates unveiled several new security-focused initiatives at the RSA conference in San Francisco on Tuesday. The highest-profile announcement is that Microsoft will release a beta version 7.0 of the Internet Explorer (IE) Web browser this summer, much earlier than expected. The new version will include many security enhancements, and will specifically target phishing, spyware and viruses.
Previously, Microsoft planned to wait until next year's Longhorn release of Windows to deliver a new IE. In recent months, Mozilla's security-focused Firefox browser has been taking significant market share from Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), largely because the ubiquitous IE is a target for hackers and spyware purveyors. In fact, Firefox adoption has recently sent IE's market share below 90 percent for the first time in many years, according to market research from WebSideStory. At the RSA conference, Gates acknowledged that computer users are "frustrated" with the reliability and security problems they face, and he noted that Internet browsing is a particularly vulnerable activity.
Version 7.0 of IE will work on systems running Windows XP Service Pack 2, and will be specifically designed to leverage the many security features already found in SP2. Gates said that there are now more than 170 million copies of Windows XP SP2 distributed globally. He added that Microsoft will continue to offer its Windows AntiSpyware software for free (a beta version is available at www.microsoft.com—featured on the home page), after many observers had speculated that Microsoft would charge for it.
According to Microsoft data, more than six million copies of Windows AntiSpyware have been downloaded since it became available January 6th. For business customers, Microsoft plans a managed anti-spyware solution that will be available for a fee.
Microsoft's moves with its AntiSpyware product drew a strong reaction from Richard Stiennon, vice-president of threat research at WebRoot, which makes SpySweeper software. "This is the right direction for Microsoft to go in, because it looked previously like they were going to try to get into the security business," he said. "That would be a little disingenuous for the company that controls the entire space and created the security business. For them to sell security products would be like the bottled water company selling you something to clean up the water they sell you."
Recently, Microsoft announced that it is acquiring Sybari Software, which developed technology that protects messaging and collaboration servers from malicious code. Once the acquisition is closed, Microsoft intends to ship a Microsoft engine, based on GeCAD technology that the company acquired in 2003. The technology will be incorporated into a consumer product by the end of this year.
Gates also said that Microsoft is forming continuing partnerships with governments, law enforcement agencies and business partners to address security problems.
 News source: PCMag
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