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How Secure is Windows 8? Should you upgrade?
10-30-2012, 03:55 PM
Post: #1
How Secure is Windows 8? Should you upgrade?
Windows 8 is being projected as an amazing operating system by Microsoft and there is quite a buzz around Windows 8. It hit the streets last Friday and lots of folks have been asking if they should upgrade or stick to their good old and reliable Windows 7.

The user interface has definitely been changed to lower the learning curve. 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.

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. Another set of eyes looking for nasties is always a good thing, but I am not convinced it is as useful as Microsoft claims it is.

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

It's nice to see new Windows installations able to defend themselves from the get-go, but it appears to be the bare minimum. Most users expect more and will likely want to install a more fully featured security suite.

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

It is my opinion that Windows 8 is certainly an improvement in security over previous Windows versions, but Microsoft may be fighting an uphill battle.

Full article here:- http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2012/10/...dows-ever/
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10-31-2012, 01:34 PM
Post: #2
RE: How Secure is Windows 8? Should you upgrade?
Windows 8 is a new operating system and I think it is safest windows ever. Currently there are no exploits, viruses made for affecting windows 8 because it is new. It is many times better than the previous versions of Microsoft windows.
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11-15-2012, 05:11 PM
Post: #3
RE: How Secure is Windows 8? Should you upgrade?
It's new, so the malware will have to adapt, but it won't take long.
Even some old malware still works on Windows 8.

http://labs.bitdefender.com/2012/11/newe...-wildcore/

http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/wi...ransomware
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