The reason Microsoft has given for pushing Windows 10 so aggressively is it wants to get users to a "safe place"[1]. Very altruistic. Although there's no excuse for forcing users to upgrade[2] in the manner that it has.
Still, there's no questioning that Windows 10[3] is Microsoft's safest operating system to date and to help sell the security benefits, the software giant has put together a web page detailing how the OS can protect you from modern security threats.
There are headings on Secure Devices, Identity Protection, Information Protection and Threat Resistance, and links to information relating to solutions such as Device Integrity, Cryptographic Processing, Microsoft Passport, Windows Hello, and SmartScreen.
Microsoft is clearly targeting businesses in its introduction:
Addressing today's threats requires a new approach. Windows 10 offers architectural changes that protect from the inside out and go well beyond perimeter defense and building bigger walls.
If you look back at how security threats have evolved over time, you'll find some disturbing trends. Enterprises that are used to attacks from individuals and small groups that were out for mischief or personal notoriety have been replaced by well-funded criminal organizations seeking profit. More recently these criminal organizations have been joined by highly clandestine organizations with ulterior motives and whose attacks appear to succeed at will.
The harsh reality is that the attackers have acquired the advantage, and if your organization is in the crosshairs, it's not a question of whether the attackers can get access to your network, it's a question of how fast they can do it and how long will it take you to find out. It often takes months to detect and almost as long to remediate.
So what exactly has Microsoft done to keep users safe? According to the software giant:
In Windows 10, we have made significant architectural changes to the platform, many of which address tactics used in the attacks that you have been reading about or have personally experienced. These changes are not just defensive measures that present steeper walls for attackers to climb; they are improvements that take critical tactics off the table, in some cases entirely. To achieve this goal, Windows 10 takes full advantage of state-of-the-art hardware technologies to help protect user identities, information, and devices against hacking and malware threats.
You can read about how Windows 10 protects users from security threats here[4]. Do you trust Microsoft to keep you safe, or do you rely on other third-party tools?
Photo Credit: Shutterstock/alphaspirit[5][6]
References
- ^ "safe place" (betanews.com)
- ^ forcing users to upgrade (betanews.com)
- ^ Windows 10 (betanews.com)
- ^ here (www.microsoft.com)
- ^ Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
- ^ alphaspirit (www.shutterstock.com)
