Microsoft announced more details of its Forefront security software plans on Tuesday. Here's what we found interesting from the announcement:
- The message is all about integration. Microsoft wants us to know that security software is better if it comes from the same vendor as the products it's securing.
- Active Directory is a key component to make this integration happen.
- Vista will be something of a Trojan horse to persuade customers into buying Forefront.
- It includes new capabilities to continually audit the security of desktop PCs and generate reports, based on template rules supplied by Microsoft and updated using Microsoft Update. Example rules: Is auto-login enabled? Will the password expire frequently enough?
- Forefront for Exchange only supports Exchange 2007.
- Microsoft freely admits that Forefront for Exchange's look and feel is inconsistent with other Microsoft products. It's still very much the Sybari Antigen user experience.
- Exchange store scanning can be restricted to messages recently delivered. This allows improved performance while protecting against recent virus outbreaks (i.e., the so-called zero-day problem).
- Forefront "Premium" anti-spam includes filtering by IP reputation and spam signature -- IMF does not.
... Richi Jennings