Microsoft Virus Initiative membership
If you’re serious in selling an AV product on Windows, you need certain APIs which are related to Windows Security Center / Action Center. You can get this API only if you are a member in the Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI).
The Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI) helps organizations to get their products working and integrated with Windows.
Here are the requirements to become a member:
Become a member
A request for membership is made by an individual as a representative of an organization that develops and produces antimalware or antivirus technology. Your organization must meet the following eligibility requirements to qualify for the MVI program:
- Offer an antimalware or antivirus product that is one of the following:
- Your organization’s own creation.
- Developed by using an SDK (engine and other components) from another MVI Partner company and your organization adds a custom UI and/or other functionality.
- Have your own malware research team unless you build a product based on an SDK.
- Be active and have a positive reputation in the antimalware industry.
- Activity can include participation in industry conferences or being reviewed in an industry standard report such as AV Comparatives, OPSWAT or Gartner.
- Be willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Microsoft.
- Be willing to sign a program license agreement.
- Be willing to adhere to program requirements for antimalware apps. These requirements define the behavior of antimalware apps necessary to ensure proper interaction with Windows.
- Submit your app to Microsoft for periodic performance testing.
- Certified through independent testing by at least one industry standard organization.
The most hard to achieve requirements are marked bold.
What you get ?
MVI members receive access to Windows APIs and other technologies including IOAV, AMSI and Cloud files. Members also get malware telemetry and samples and invitations to security related events and conferences.
We will work with you to get your company in the Antivirus Vendor page, we will build your product, will get your product accepted by Microsoft and deliver it to your customers.
Microsoft requires certain things from companies developing security products. Additionally, if you’re serious in selling an AV product on Windows, you need certain APIs which are related to Windows Security Center / Action Center.
These are not well documented and are usually very complex.
We have experience in dealing with such issues and with Microsoft.
Here are some steps required:
- Set up the basics to deal with Microsoft
- Build the product
- Apply for 3rd party testing
- Apply to MVI correctly
- After that, we can help you
- Integrate the API you obtain from Microsoft
- Create the tool for interacting with the Action Center
- Make it user friendly and test it with additional OSs.
- Modify the updater to interact with the Action Center
- Modify the licensing manager to interact with the Action Center
- Modify the various other product functions to interact with the Action Center
- Submit the kit (the result depends on all of the above)
- Implement the product landing pages
- Implement the incident landing pages
- Make the required tests and adapt the product until you pass
- Test and adapt the product for the Microsoft guidelines of interacting with Action Center (all above situations)
- Test and adapt the product for usability in regards to Windows 10 (which are special requirements)
We can’t do all these steps for you, but will guide and accompany you and your teams in doing them. Some of these steps we can do for you.
Please contact us to get more details.
