Back in November 2011 we were reporting that Redmond-based software giant Microsoft is working on the next generation of Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), mainly version 4.0. Then in December 2011 we reported that the Beta version of MSE 4.0 has been released to the public. It is now April 2012 and it is with great pleasure that we tell you to forget all about the aforementioned Beta.

On Tuesday, April 24, Microsoft rolled out the stable version of MSE 4.0 to the masses. If you’re on Windows 7 and you have the previous version, MSE 2.0, installed on your machine, you should receive an upgrade prompt via Windows Update. Alternatively you can get the security solution straight from the developer.

Microsoft Security Essentials 4.0 is available for download straight from Microsoft here.

Before you go get MSE 4.0, take a look at what new bits and pieces the application has to offer:

• Enhanced protection through automatic malware remediation – The new version cleans high-impact malware infections automatically, with no required user interaction.
• Enhanced performance – Version 4.0 includes many performance improvements to make sure your PC performance isn’t negatively impacted.
• Changed UI – the interface has been modified a little bit to make MSE even easier to use.
• New and improved protection engine - The updated engine offers enhanced detection and cleanup capabilities.

Microsoft Security Essentials is offered free of charge by Microsoft to Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users who are on a genuine version of the operating system. During the installation, the operating system is checked, and if MSE does not attest you’re on a genuine Windows edition, it will not complete the installation process.

MSE is a good choice for anyone who wants a free security solution that can offer a proper level of security. MSE did well in various tests, it doesn’t hog system resources, it is quite easy to use, and it is more than capable of protecting your PC from all sorts of threats.