Showing posts with label Security in Windows 7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Security in Windows 7. Show all posts

Monday, June 21, 2010

Security in Microsoft Windows 7's

Windows 7 security is the top most dominating feature, which has raised the global demand of its installation. There are plenty of new features along with some good modification in the previous features and the operating system offers enhanced security for both online and offline activities.

Microsoft has blessed its new operating systemwith some innovative features, such as DirectAccess, Biometric Security, Applocker, Windows Filtering Platform (WFP). Besides, there has been a considerable improvement in previous features, like Windows Secuirty Center of Vista has been presented in a more effective way as Action Center, BitLocker has been revised to perform advanced job.

With the modified and innovative features, like BitLocker, you can share your data with your colleague without any worry, DirectAccess helps to share your office network in a secure manner, when you are on move. With Action Center, you can troubleshoot the problems arising with software and hardware conflicts in a much better way. BitLocker feature, which is useful for encrypting your data files, is not available with the Windows 7 Home Premium Edition. It has been observed that the files encrypted are hard to recover, in case of any data loss.

Windows 7 Firewall has been modified to a great extent, now it can filter both inbound and outbound traffic of your computer's network. Windows Defender can be customized well, under the Advanced Setting option, available in Control Panel, for quick, complete and partial scanning of your computer's memory. While in Vista, you were permitted for doing only basic setting. In addition to this, you can also customize it as per your need to scan public network, home network or work network. Moreover, you can perform scanning of each one at the same time, it was also restricted in earlier Vista, where you can do scanning of one network at a time. Next improvement has been done with the restriction from User Account Control, which doesn't allow others to perform any setting change over your PC in your absence.

With effective Windows Firewall, Windows Defender and software, you can keep your computer safe from viruses and ensure good performance. Adding on, you can remain free from frequent computer's issues like sluggish performance, slow startup, blue-screen error and computer's freezing. You can keep your Windows registry in sound condition, which is the God father of your computer.

Understanding the global threat about cyber-crime and other malilcious softwre, Microsoft has done a complete overhauling in the security feature of Windows 7. With the new operating system, you can share your computer's data and peripheral devices like, printers and scanners in a much secured manner.

Advantages and disadvantages are always associated with any development. There are some limitations in Windows 7 security, like Windows Firewall has been observed to be getting disabled on attack of some sophisticated viruses. Windows 7 still using the same encrypt arithmetic as the previous versions of Windows. That means that if you need to reset Windows 7 password, you can just use the similar methods like Windows Vista or XP. Sometimes you even have to use some Windows 7 password recovery software that is used for Windows 7 password reset. Further, it also raises issues while installing some new programs or making some download from any website. Windows Defender needs to be configured well after each and every new installation work you perform on your computer.

For attaining better security over your Windows 7 installed computer, you should keep your Windows update enabled, when you are online. Status of Windows Defender should be monitored on regular basis. In addition, your computer must have a compatible antivirus program.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Windows 7 Guide- Changes To Security in Windows 7

Microsoft launched Windows 7 with few enhancements such as HomeGroup, Aero, etc. However, there are several of new and enhanced security features as well. Here’s a rundown of key changes you must know about.

Everyone’s talking about the interface changes, the new taskbar, omission of the sidebar, a new look for Windows Explorer. Under the hood, there are few more changes, including latest and enhanced security features. Let’s look at some security features that have been changed or added in Windows 7.
Action Center- In Vista, security configurations can be access from the Security Center in Control Panel. In Windows 7, you won’t find a Security Center. That’s because it’s been replaced by a new Action Center. The Action Center offers security configurations as well as options for other administrative tasks, such as Backup, Troubleshooting And Diagnostics, and Windows Update.

Windows 7 UAC- User Account Control (UAC) was introduced with Vista, made to provide better protection from malware. It makes all user accounts run as standard users, even administrator accounts. If you need to perform something that requires administrative rights, it asks for permission. And asks. And asks. This in-your-face aspect of UAC has caused numerous complaints and has led some users to turn it off completely, thus exposing themselves to threats.
In Windows 7, UAC is still there, but now you can set up how vocal it will be. There are four settings you configure from the UAC settings in the Action Center. You can set UAC to:
• Always notify you when you install software or make any changes to Windows settings (as Vista does now).

• Notify you when programs make changes but not if you make changes to Windows settings (default Setting).

• Notify you only when programs make changes but turn off Secure Desktop, which dims the desktop while the UAC prompt is displayed. ( Preferred setting.)

• Never notify you. ( Not recommended.)
BitLocker- Windows 7 comes through and allows you to encrypt removable storage drives. And it’s easy to do. Just open the BitLocker applet in Control Panel, choose the drive you want to encrypt, and click Turn On BitLocker.

Windows Filtering Platform- Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) is a set of APIs introduced in Vista. In Windows 7, developers can use it to iinclude some parts of the Windows Firewall into their own programs. This will allow a third-party program to turn off certain parts of the Windows Firewall selectively if need be.

DNSSec- Windows 7 supports for DNSSec (Domain Name System Security), which is a group of extensions to the DNS platform that improved security. With DNSSec, a DNS zone can take advantage of digital signature technology so that you can validate the authenticity of data that’s received.