Windows 8 security overview: Threats and Stakes

Since October 26, 2012, Windows 8 is widely available for potentials users around the world. Beyond the radical changes to the user interface, the next question is around the security.

Naked Security from Sophos aims to bring a response to this matter.

Therefore according to the security editor, ‘’the most obvious, and controversial, change in Windows 8 security is the new Secure Boot system. New PCs that ship with Windows 8 will be required to use a UEFI BIOS, which is the first component required for securely booting Windows.’’

‘’Microsoft has made minor improvements to the ASLR and DEP technologies used to defend Windows and its applications against buffer overflow and other vulnerabilities.

SmartScreen filtering has been extended to the basic operating system after having proven itself useful in Internet Explorer 9.’’

The UEFI BIOS begins the loading of the operating system and ensures all of the components are signed with a digital certificate belonging to Microsoft. This should go a long way towards disrupting rootkits and boot kits that depend upon the ability to load before Windows and your anti-virus software.

Microsoft has made minor improvements to the ASLR and DEP technologies used to defend Windows and its applications against buffer overflow and other vulnerabilities.

SmartScreen filtering has been extended to the basic operating system after having proven itself useful in Internet Explorer 9.

Microsoft Defender has been upgraded to be a proper anti-virus scanner using much of the technology previously branded as Microsoft Security Essentials.

There are many other small changes including improvements to DirectAccess VPN, Windows To Go, Internet Explorer 10 and the new "Modern" tile applications.’’

Windows 8 and other Windows 8 tips and information, is available on Sophos Windows 8 area at http://sophos.com/windows8