Sophos Releases Report on Windows 7 Security

IT security software and data protection firm Sophos released a new report, “Windows 7 security: A great leap forward or business as usual?” that examines the progress Windows 7 has made in updating and adding new security features.

With the recent release of Windows 7, many individuals and businesses are questioning whether or not the new platform demonstrates any significant security improvements over the Vista OS. Vista’s security offerings demonstrated a lack of comprehensive security coverage, such as the User Account Control (UAC) system, which was designed to prevent unauthorized execution of code, but was widely criticized for intrusive pop-ups and failure to be user-friendly.

According to the Sophos report, “With Windows 7, Microsoft shows that it is paying attention to its critics and has attempted to deal with a number of these issues.” The report further analyzes new additions that promise greater security and ease of use, such as the revamped user interface for the Windows Action Center (formerly the Vista Security Center), the redesigned UAC, expanded firewall and encryption features, and new VPN system.

Microsoft provides some new and useful tools for users and admins, but while some may be effective solutions, others are flawed in execution. “Most businesses will stick to third-party expert security providers, but it’s possible the decrease in numbers of easy targets elsewhere will reduce the numbers of zombies (hijacked computers), malware attacks, spam bots and DDoS contributors pumping spam and other malicious attacks toward our networks,” comments Sophos.

To view the complete Sophos report, “Windows 7 security: A great leap forward or business as usual?” visit www.sophos.com

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Tags: Malware, Microsoft, Microsoft Windows, Security, Sophos, User Account Control, Windows 7, Windows Vista