Microsoft has endowed Vista's kernel with highly restricted access, in a bid to improve security in its new operating system. This extra security has succeeded in locking out hackers, malware purveyors and has apparently locked out security software as well.
Competing security software manufacturers say Vista's security system alone is not enough to protect users from threats. Security firm, Webroot Software reported in January that its security testing of Vista revealed significant holes in its security shields. The tests showed Vista to have ineffective blocking capabilities and weak antivirus capabilities in the default anti-spyware and antivirus components within Vista. Webroot also found problems in Microsoft's Live OneCare security suite.
Webroot said Windows Defender failed to block 84 percent of a testing sample set that included 15 of the most common variations of existing spyware and malware. On top of this, Windows Defender did not perform at the level of many third-party security applications.
Webroot also said that Windows Vista allowed a variety of threats to get through its security shields and remain undetected on its testing environment. These threats included adware, potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), system monitors, key loggers and Trojans. These results come after Windows Live OneCare recently came last in a recent online comparative test of antivirus applications.
Webroot also stated that Microsoft's additional charge to Vista users for antivirus protection through a subscription service, is a potential weakness in security, as consumers may be unwilling to make that purchase.
According to Max Secure's Pradhan, Microsoft's attempts to block out third-party security vendors raise questions of fairness. However, he believes that strategy will be short-lived.
"Microsoft should have learned that approach is not the best way to go. I see Microsoft changing because consumers will see that they do have a choice," said Pradhan. "Microsoft is offering a system that is flawed. Consumers will force Microsoft to open up the kernel access when infections and attacks continue."
On the other hand Marco Peretti, CEO of BeyondTrust, does not see Microsoft's decision to lock down access to the Vista kernel all that damaging. Peretti believes that Microsoft has made accessing the kernel in the 32-bit version of Vista more difficult than in Windows XP.
"Microsoft is blocking the kernel only on 64-bit, not the 32-bit, platforms. To Microsoft the 64-bit Vista is the future," Peretti noted, adding that 2007 and 2008 will see the mainstream adoption of the 64-bit Vista operating system.
The problem in Vista 64-bit is caused by the patch-guard which it utilises, according to John Safa, security expert and the chief architect at DriveSentry. This patch-guard prevents programs patching the key system functions, which are also used by hackers to create rootkits.
Safa also claims that these same functions are also patched by security vendors to detect threats, which they are now unable to do. In response to this, Microsoft has stated that it intends to provide access to security vendors of Vista 64-bit by the time it releases Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista. Service Pack 1 is currently scheduled for release in the second half of 2007.
Safa asserts that third-party security vendors are to blame for not developing strategies to dealing with Vista's 32-bit compatibility issues. He also notes that third-party security vendors are adapting their products to work with the kernel restrictions in the 32-bit version. "There is no real reason why security vendors cannot have their product ready for Vista 32-bit," he said.
Safa views Microsoft's claim that it has locked down Vista equivalent to issuing an open invitation to the hacking community to prove it wrong. Safa notes, "There's real money to be made in this high stakes game, and the rules have completely changed. Today's malware threat has evolved into a destructive force that outpaces even the best antivirus signatures, leaving consumers' personal data completely exposed to zero-day attacks."
Saturday, 7 April 2007
Windows Vista Just a False Sense of Security
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Saturday, 24 March 2007
Vista Ultimate Team Shows Off New DreamScene Wallpaper
The group manager for Windows Vista Ultimate, Alex Kipman, has posted a new video of an upcoming DreamScene wallpaper. It features an animated version of the glowing back-lit orb wallpaper released two weeks ago.
The glowing back-lit Vista orb wallpaper was one of two Windows Vista Ultimate branded wallpapers released on the 8th of March. The popularity of these wallpapers was reflected through the download numbers, with nearly one hundred thousand downloads.
The main advantage of the new DreamScene wallpaper is that it features all the hallmarks of a great wallpaper: it looks good; isn't intrusive; and isn't branded. Hats off to Microsoft for doing such a great job.
It should also be noted that the increased transparency from the Ultimate team about their future plans is a very welcome change from the many years of complete secrecy, ever since the beta program. One can only hope that the future of Vista Ultimate Extras is not going to be countless years of DreamScene content packs.
Monday, 19 March 2007
Comparison - "Soar" and "Wow"
Back in 2001 Microsoft launched the "Soar" campaign to market Windows XP. Six years on Microsoft has launched the "Wow" campaign to market Windows Vista. How do the television advertisements for the two operating systems differ?
• 1:00min runtime
• Story-driven - continuous journey
• Fantasy
• Very audible background music
• Upbeat, lots of action, movement
• Eight scenes with the operating system in action
• No speech
• $200 million advertising budget
•1:00min runtime
•Theme driven - each scene is separate
•Real experience
•Ambient background music
•Emotional, inspirational, slow movements
•No scene of the operating system in action
•Speech & voiceover
•$500 million advertising budget
The Windows XP “Soar” advertisement shows how Windows XP benefits the user in eight separate scenes. On the other hand the Windows Vista "Wow" advertisement doesn't show the operating system in action at all. If you exclude the Flip3D sequence, it doesn't show any useful features or even what it is. Although both advertisements are very good, it is interesting to see how times have changed.
Click here to continue reading article.
Monday, 12 March 2007
New Windows Vista Boot Screens
Thanks to iemanduitnederland for creating these boot screens. Download the following boot screens individually or download all of them in one zip archive. There is also a boot screen generator included for you to create your own boot screens.
Please backup your “winload.exe.mui” file before you try this.
How to install:
1. Navigate to c:\windows\system32\en-US for English installations or the appropriate directory for your installation.
2. Open the properties of the file "winload.exe.mui" and edit the permissions so that you can take full control of the file and replace it in the following step.
3. Now copy the chosen boot screen from the package and replace it with the one in the system32\en-US folder.
4. Go to start > Run, and type "msconfig".
5. Select the "Boot" tab and enable "No GUI Boot".
6. Close msconfig and reboot your computer.
Windows Vista Boot Logo Generator
Single Archive Download
Aurora 3D (Grey Text)
Thursday, 1 March 2007
Vista Ultimate Not So Ultimate After All
Windows Vista Ultimate was marketed by Microsoft as the operating system of "choice for those who want to have it all". But Microsoft has left out something very important from their "most complete edition of Windows Vista": Extended Lifecycle Support.
While browsing Microsoft's Support Lifecycle pages I observed some interesting oddities. According to the Windows Vista Ultimate Support Lifecycle page support ends on April 10, 2012, putting it in the same boat as Windows Vista Home Basic and Home Premium. On the contrary both Windows Vista Business and Enterprise receive Extended Support, which means five more years of support until April 11, 2017.
Support for consumer products ends after five years and have no Extended Support option, according to Microsoft's Support Lifecycle Web page. It was always assumed that Windows Vista Ultimate, marketed by Microsoft as having the most consumer and corporate features, would be supported for more than five years. Microsoft currently offers Vista Ultimate to businesses for volume-licensing purchases.
The problem of limited support potentially creates numerous problems for small businesses looking for improved security. BitLocker Drive Encryption, which is extremely helpful in protecting sensitive data from theft, is available only in Vista Enterprise and Vista Ultimate. However, Vista Enterprise is available only through volume licensing purchases, which is very rarely utilised by small businesses.
The designated five years of Mainstream Support for Windows XP Home Edition and Media Centre Edition ended one month before the release of Windows Vista. However, Microsoft responded by extending its support for Windows XP for another five years up until April 8, 2014.
It is highly likely that Microsoft will bow to the increased pressure from customers to extend its support for Windows Vista Ultimate, much like they did with Windows XP.
An even more baffling contradiction is that the Microsoft Office product range is treated in a different way. The Office 2007 Support Lifecycle page, states that the Student and Home Editions will receive extended support right up until April 4, 2017. Even though these two editions are lower-end versions for consumers, they receive extended support just like their more expensive counterparts.
It seems Microsoft has decided that its ultimate version of Windows Vista, the “choice for those who want to have it all", is not worthy of Extended Support, while the lower cost consumer editions of Microsoft Office are. Only time will tell if Microsoft bows into the pressure from consumers of Windows Vista.
