An easier, safer way to install trusted security software
Setting up a new PC is a familiar chore for many small business owners, and one of the trickiest steps is making sure you install genuine software rather than a convincing fake. That’s why a small update from the cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes is worth a moment of your attention.
According to Malwarebytes, its Windows antivirus product is now available directly through the Microsoft Store, the app marketplace built into Windows. You can still download it from the company’s website or trusted partners, but the Store simply adds another verified route to the real thing.
Why this matters for SMEs
Cybercriminals frequently set up fake download pages and bogus “security” apps designed to trick people into installing malware, malicious software, instead of the genuine product they were after. If your business relies on staff installing their own tools, that’s a real risk, much like the wider challenge of securing the AI agents SMEs now rely on. Building this habit into a wider baseline like Cyber Essentials for UK small businesses helps it stick.
Because the Microsoft Store is part of Windows itself, there’s no web address to type and no guessing whether you’ve landed on a legitimate page. You open the Store, search for the app, and click “Get”. Windows handles the rest. For anyone who has ever talked a colleague through a software install over the phone, that simplicity is a genuine time-saver.
The full product, not a cut-down version
One common concern with app-store versions of desktop software is that they can be stripped-back “lite” editions. Malwarebytes says that isn’t the case here. The Microsoft Store version is the complete Malwarebytes for Windows, with the same real-time protection (security that runs continuously in the background), the same Windows integration and all the usual features.
The company also confirms a few practical points that matter for business budgets and admin:
- You keep your choice of subscription, you’re not forced into Microsoft Store-only billing.
- Automatic updates continue to work exactly as before.
- If you already run Malwarebytes from the website, there’s nothing to reinstall or change.
In short, the Store changes where installation begins, not what the software can do, an important distinction for security tools that need to work closely with the operating system to be effective.
The practical takeaway
For small businesses, the lesson here goes beyond one product. Wherever possible, install software through official channels, a vendor’s own website, a verified partner, or a trusted app store like the Microsoft Store, rather than clicking links from search ads or emails. It’s one of the simplest habits you can build to keep fake apps and malware off your machines, and it pairs neatly with a simple security routine to catch problems early. For a threat that hides in everyday files, see how the Copilot ‘AI worm’ in a Word document can catch SMEs out.
