Vista security: a close look
In last week's column about Windows users becoming increasingly disenchanted with Microsoft because of security issues, critics are saing that the improvements in Windows Vista may have come too late and may not be enough.
In Vista, the limited account has been renamed to "standard account," and it can do a lot more. Anything that changes the operating system in a way that affects other users requires administrator approval. This is a better design, because it makes lower-permissions accounts more desirable and less frustrating.
Internet explorer 7 is a lot better, and its security features are part of the reason. If you have, say, chron.com in a window, and type in a site that begins with https — indicating your connection to the site will be securely encrypted — that site will open in a new window. You can only run other https sites in the tabs in that window.
Windows Vista does not come with built-in antivirus protection, but it does have an excellent antispyware program in Windows Defender, which is also available as a free download for Windows XP SP2 users. Microsoft sells a security suite called Windows Live OneCare, which includes an antivirus program, an enhanced version of the Windows Firewall, a file-backup program and a background defragmenter.
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