Microsoft says Windows 10 Anniversary Update is the most secure version of Windows ever
In a white paper and blog post, Microsoft makes the claim that changes introduced in Windows 10 Anniversary Update make it the most secure version of Windows ever. The company is particularly proud of its ability to fight ransomware, but also points to security features such as Credential Guard and Windows Hello.
Microsoft says that Windows Defender -- recently complained about by Eugene Kapsersky -- is to thank for this. Cloud-based protection and faster updates mean protection is more effective than ever.
In the white paper, entitled Ransomware Protection in Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft says that Windows 10 computers are 58 percent less likely to be hit with ransomware when compared to Windows 7 machines. In addition to the white paper, a blog post by Rob Lefferts (director of program management, Windows Enterprise and Security) goes on to explain things in a slightly more accessible way.
Here are some of the many ways we’re fighting back against ransomware:
- Six of the top 10 ransomware threats use browser, or browser-plugin-related exploits, so we made it harder for malware authors to exploit Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge.
- We increased detection and blocking capability in our email services, increasing the number of ransomware-related attachments being blocked.
- We added new technology to Windows Defender to reduce detection time to seconds, increasing our ability to respond before the infection can occur.
- We released Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection which can be combined with Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection to make it easier for companies to investigate and respond to ransomware attacks.
Combined with other significant security advances, such as Credential Guard, Windows Hello and others, we’ve made Windows 10 Anniversary Update the most secure Windows ever.
Lefferts says that an update to Microsoft Edge which enables the browser to run Flash Player in an isolated container and better protection for email are also key factors in security improvements.
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