The license for McAfee VirusScan, the U-M antivirus application for Windows computers, expires next year and will not be renewed. Information and Technology Services (ITS) recommends replacing VirusScan with one of two Microsoft antivirus (A/V) products:

• Microsoft Security Essentials (for use on personally owned machines), www.microsoft.com/en-us/security_essentials/default.aspx

• Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection (for use on university-owned machines), www.microsoft.com/forefront/endpoint-protection

Users can change to Microsoft A/V immediately. To ensure continued virus protection for a Windows computer now running VirusScan licensed by U-M, users must replace VirusScan by June 2012.

Changing to Microsoft A/V results in substantial savings for the university. Microsoft Security Essentials is free, and U-M already licenses Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection. Additionally, Microsoft A/V products are competitively rated by several independent reviewers in the antivirus research community. Microsoft Forefront has been certified by West Coast Labs and ICSA Labs; and Virus Bulletin bestowed Microsoft Forefront with its VB100 award in 13 out of 13 tests conducted between June 2007 and April 2011.

Employees who manage a personally owned Windows computer that runs McAfee VirusScan licensed by U-M should go to Anti-Virus Protection at U-M (safecomputing.umich.edu/antivirus) for information about changing to Microsoft Security Essentials.

Those who manage a university-owned Windows computer that runs VirusScan licensed by U-M should install Forefront Endpoint Protection on the computers they support. Anti-Virus Protection at U-M (safecomputing.umich.edu/antivirus) provides links for downloading Forefront as well as licensing and ordering information.