Vista Release Promises Greater PC Security?

Microsoft is releasing its Vista operating system next week with the promise of major improvements in security for PC users. Vista is the first major upgrade to the Windows operating system in five years.

Vista will be available to major business users on 30 November 2006. From 30 January 2007 it will come pre-loaded on new PCs, and consumers will be able to buy it off the shelf for upgrades.

The new system includes some major changes from previous versions of Windows. A new interface replaces the familiar filing system based on folders. Folder icons have been replaced with snapshots of data or tiny images of photos.

There is an improved integrated search function which makes locating data as easy as finding a Web site with an internet search engine.

Vista includes more built-security features than any previous version of Windows, including:

• a user account control allowing users to change common settings without requiring administrative privileges. This prevents users from making potentially dangerous changes without limiting their ability to run applications
• the built in Web browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer, protects against phishing and spoofing attacks
• ‘protected mode’ Internet Explorer helps protect user data and configuration settings from being deleted or changed by malicious Web sites or malware
• Windows Defender detects potentially suspicious software and prompts the user before allowing applications to make potentially malicious changes
• outbound filtering in the firewall provides administrative control over peer-to-peer sharing applications and similar applications that businesses may want to restrict
• Windows Service Hardening limits the damage attackers can do if they succeed in compromising the system
• Network Access Protection can prevent clients that do meet security requirements from connecting to an internal network and potentially spreading malware to other machines.

New “Vista capable” PCs come with a free or deeply discounted upgrade, but otherwise, the system costs $100 for the most basic version to $400 for an ‘ultimate’ edition which includes both business and home entertainment features.

Of course, with the recent issue of Microsoft suddenly opening up its code to third-party security vendors, it remains to be seen how much of Microsoft’s confidence is marketing bluff.