The so-called Windows Action Center is responsible for reporting the overall status of installed antimalware solutions, as well as the firewall and other security elements. The SecuritySoftView tool developed by Nirsoft serves as a “reduced version” of that same center, presenting information about each antivirus and antispyware on the computer.
The Windows Action Center can be a hassle
It's fair to say that the Action Center isn't the most intuitive section of the operating system. Microsoft seems to have found ways to complicate things in later versions, from the annoying User Account Control prompts in Vista—remember the infamous “The user needs to breathe: Continue or Cancel?”—to the buried options in Windows 8.1. I understand that Redmond wants to keep Windows security in the background. Most users have “zero interest” in system maintenance, and in such cases automatic control is better than none. But if you care about your computer's integrity and keep up with new security solutions, you're not part of that majority.
A portable tool for a quick check
Suppose you need to maintain a computer that, for strange reasons, refuses to open the Action Center. Before tackling that problem, you'd probably like to know the condition of the antivirus. That's where SecuritySoftView steps in. The executable is less than 80 kilobytes, and like other Nirsoft applications, it's fully portable. It shows the status of each antivirus and antispyware, and a double-click reveals more details, including installation date, database condition, source folder, and version number.
Information only
From a certain point of view, SecuritySoftView has no issues, but its role is purely informational. It doesn't have the ability to modify an antivirus, open its main window, or uninstall it if it's faulty—for those tasks you'll get your hands dirty. Still, this quick glance could be useful when you least expect it.
