Microsoft Forefront Client Security Beta (formerly Microsoft Client Protection) can now be downloaded at Microsoft Connect. The final of Microsoft’s malware protection software for business desktops, laptops and servers is scheduled for the 2^nd quarter of 2007. I just skimmed over its product description. Forefront Client Security (FCS) could be a very interesting solution for mere Windows shops.

FCS makes heavy use of other Microsoft products. The most interesting feature is that signatures can be deployed with WSUS. Uniting patch management and malware signature management makes a lot of sense. The settings of the FCS agent can be deployed using Active Directory and MOM is used for monitoring.

I am not sure if it simplifies matters if you have to use several tools to manage your anti-virus solution. There is, however, a central management component. I have to try FCS myself to get a better picture of its usability. I’ll probably do this in the near future.
When it comes to malware protection, there is another important issue: How fast does the vendor react to the latest threats? Big players like Symantec, Trend Micro or Sophos already have an extensive infrastructure that helps them to get wind of the latest worms, to analyze the malware and to develop defence mechanisms. I’ve no doubt that Microsoft has enough money to build-up a comparable infrastructure, but it might take some time.