In a blog post today, Facebook Security announced that it is widening the scope of programs to help its nearly 1 billion users combat malware. Up until now, Facebook would notify users of possible malware infections, and offer them free tools to help clean the user’s device. Now, for the first time, Facebook is offering those services proactively, consisting of either a one time computer malware scan via a McAfee product, or Microsoft Security Essentials:
We currently offer two products for all of our users: McAfee’s Scan and Repair and Microsoft’s Security Essentials.
- The McAfee option will download a small program onto your Windows computer to perform a one-time scan of your system for malware. It will not interfere with your existing anti-virus or other security products. After it scans your system, it will give you the option to automatically or manually remove the files it flags as malicious.
- The Microsoft Security Essentials option is a full anti-virus product. Upon download and install, it will add anti-virus software to your computer that will continue to protect your system with the latest anti-virus signatures from Microsoft.
We hope that by making our technology available to more users, on demand, will help all the people who use our service keep their data and devices secure. You can find more information on keeping your information safe on the Facebook Security Page and the Security on Facebook site.
Microsoft introduced Security Essentials in 2009, replacing its Windows Live OneCare subscription service. Based it on its enterprise anti-malware and security solution, Forefront, Security Essentials has further evolved to now being built in to Windows 8, under the "Windows Defender" banner.
(via CNET)