Security
Windows Vista includes many security features and improvements to protect client computers from the latest generation of threats, including worms, viruses, and other malicious software (collectively known as malware).
- User Account Control allows users to be productive and change common settings while running as a standard user, without requiring administrative privileges. This prevents users from making potentially dangerous changes to their computers, without limiting their ability to run applications.
- Windows Vista's built-in Web browser, Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), includes many security enhancements that protect users from phishing and spoofing attacks. New features include protected mode Internet Explorer, which helps protect user data and configuration settings from being deleted or changed by malicious Web sites or malware.
- Windows Defender detects many types of potentially suspicious software and can prompt the user before allowing applications to make potentially malicious changes.
- Windows Service Hardening limits the damage attackers can do in the unlikely event that they are able to successfully compromise a service. As a result, the risk of attackers making permanent changes to the Windows Vista client or attacking other computers on the network is reduced.
Windows Vista includes new authentication architecture that is easier for third-party developers to extend. Ultimately, this will lead to a wider choice of smart cards, fingerprint scanners, and other forms of strong authentication. Together, these security improvements will make users more confident in using their PCs. For information on UAC read the next page.