Windows 8 & Security Enhancements
0We talked a lot about Windows 8 these days including one Hands-on Review, Ways to bring Start Menu back to Windows 8 and some stronger reasons why Windows 8 can’t fail in the market. You can simply conclude that the several, strong changes and improvements are made to Windows 8 like the new Metro UI Modern UI, deep integration with Microsoft account rather than local account. The latest Operating System by Microsoft Corporation has become very much popular across the tech world in few days after its official launch by Microsoft.
When discussing about any software based ventures in the tech world, one of the most discussed topics is Security as a numerous number of security threats are evolving all softwares running on computers. The tech giant Microsoft knows this factor and that’s why Microsoft has made several security based improvements rather than making a Modern-UI integrated version of the OS. Since the security features should be taken into account when evaluating the OS, let’s have a look on Windows 8’s security improvements which will in turn protect your PC from exploits and various vulnerabilities.
You don’t need an Antivirus
The very first programme you’ll be installing followed by the new Operating System will be of course an Antivirus as the strictly developed programme will secure your PC from various viruses and malwares. But you don’t have to do so in the case of Windows 8 since the OS includes an in-built Antivirus programme in it. The integrated antivirus is named as Windows Defender and posses a design that of Microsoft Security Essentials. Though, Windows Defender will be silent and disabled if another antivirus programme is installed on your PC.
Do you think another software manufacturer can deeply know Windows 8 as Microsoft can understand? Obviously no one can do so. And so, it’s better to use the new Windows Defender itself rather than using another antivirus programme and hence from buying a premium antivirus for you. And here is needless to say that the in-built antivirus is a superb security enhancing feature of Windows 8.
Anti-Malware Softwares are active much earlier
We know, all the antivirus softwares or anti-malwares will start their work when the OS is ready for work. But in Windows 8, anti-malware softwares have got the power during the booting itself. So the softwares will scan your PC’s drives for finding malicious files and help against rootkits. While Windows Defender is already coming with the feature Early-Launch Anti-Malware (ELAM), other antivirus software providers can embed this feature to their softwares.
SmartScreen Filter
As you know, SmartScreen Filter was a feature used in Internet Explorer and Microsoft has embedded the feature in the OS level as well. Using this feature, the OS can scan .exe files that you download via IE, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or any other programmes.
Your double click on an .exe file will get the signature of file and will send it to the Microsoft’s servers. The signature will be analyzed within the servers and will inform you if the file has some problems. If it’s having a malware in it, Windows will simply block the file from running. Doesn’t this feature sound great?
Secure Boot
The old style BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is replaced by UEFI firmware, which will support Secure Boot. There are some software which will start from the boot-up itself, but in Windows 8, the number of softwares and limited. This feature is simply enhancing your PCs security from the boot itself.
We found these Windows 8 features just amazing in order to improve the security enhancements of your PC. What do you found in Windows 8? Speak your mind through comments.
