Windows 10 Security Features

Introduction

Alexander Benoit, senior consultant and head of Competence Center Microsoft, said something during a Microsoft event in Orlando in September 2017: “Because the threat landscape we’re facing today is so diverse, there cannot be one tool or feature that we just enable and then we’re secure.”

We can observe that willingness to stop diverse threats in all parts of the industry today. It’s especially clear in the fact that Microsoft decided to design Windows 10 to offer five levels of security configuration:

1. Enterprise basic security
2. Enterprise enhanced security
3. Enterprise high security
4. Specialized workstation
5. Administrator workstation

Let’s look at some of the most prominent security features of Windows 10.

Windows Update

Windows Update is there, as usual, to fix past bugs and introduce new functions. This is the most important security setting for any Windows 10 device. Keeping all software up to date at all times is of paramount importance.

Windows Defender Antivirus (WDA)

WDA’s UI is more user-friendly than what most other antivirus programs have to offer. But what is particularly good about WDA is that it does not require any manual configuration or any support whatsoever (other than the automatic updates). 

For example, WDA comes with a built-in firewall and a safe browsing environment that will protect you from the most common threats. The firewall supports three different network configurations (Domain, Private and Public); however, in principle, this feature is enabled by default (as in compliance with the “security by default” rule) and does not need any adjustments to be effective.

WDA automatically scans each newly downloaded file once you proceed to open it as part of the real-time protection defense posture. A deep scan for rootkits once or twice a month is always a good idea.

Microsoft SmartScreen

SmartScreen is a built-in feature that scans (Read more...)