Securing the Vista Environment

Peter Gregory

Copyright © 2007 O'Reilly Media, Inc.

April 3, 2007

Abstract

"Securing the Vista Environment" takes you on a quick tour of the most significant security features in Vista, Microsoft's first revision of Windows in almost six years.

First, I'll give you some background on threats and vulnerabilities that will make you think differently about security. Security is more than just the technology and configurations—it's about how we use the system that makes it secure...or not.

I'll talk about Vista's security features, from user privileges to Windows Defender, User Account Control, and BitLocker, as well as strategies for protecting your information from unwanted disclosure and accidental damage and loss.

If you haven't noticed that Microsoft has been the punching bag for security issues for the last five years, then I'd have to ask you what rock you've been living under all this time. Over the past five years, we've been hearing Microsoft's executives proclaiming, "This is the most secure version of <insert software name> yet," and despite these assurances, we've seen "Patch Tuesdays" read like the casualties of the latest international conflict.

Is Vista really the most secure version of Windows yet? It's too soon to tell. But my impressions from what I've seen in the user interface and read in the technical papers suggest that Vista is more secure. ...