If Microsoft Security Essentials detects malicious software or potentially unwanted software on your computer (either when monitoring your computer using real-time protection or after running a scan), it notifies you about the detected item by displaying a notification message in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen.
The notification message includes a Clean computer button and a Show details link that lets you view additional information about the detected item. Click the Show details link to open the Potential threat details window to get additional information about the detected item. You can now choose which action to apply to the item, or click Clean computer. If you need help determining which action to apply to the detected item, use the alert level that Security Essentials assigned to the item as your guide (for more information see, Understanding alert levels).
Alert levels help you choose how to respond to viruses, spyware, and other potentially unwanted software. While Security Essentials will recommend that you remove all viruses and spyware, not all software that is flagged is malicious or unwanted. The following information can help you decide what to do if Security Essentials detects potentially unwanted software on your computer.
Depending on the alert level, you can choose one of the following actions to apply to the detected item:
- Remove—This action permanently deletes
the software from your computer.
- Quarantine—This action quarantines the
software so that it can't run. When Security Essentials quarantines
software, it moves it to another location on your computer, and
then prevents the software from running until you choose to restore
it or remove it from your computer.
- Allow—This action adds the software to
the Security Essentials allowed list and allows it to run on your
computer. Security Essentials will stop alerting you to risks that
the software might pose to your privacy or to your computer.
 Caution: |
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If you choose Allow for an item, such as software, Security Essentials will stop alerting you to risks that the software might pose to your privacy or to your computer. Therefore, add software to the allowed list only if you trust the software and the software publisher.