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
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