With Microsoft betting on Windows 10 to be
their #1 OS for the foreseeable future, it is important for them to be able to
sufficiently protect their users from the growing threats looking to make life
difficult for businesses from all over the world. Today, we will take a look at
Windows 10 Enterprise Security, and how it works to protect businesses from
harm.
The first thing that we should mention in this
article is that Windows 7 will be losing support this upcoming January, and
with so many people/businesses still using machines running the decade-old
operating system, Microsoft knew they needed to make Windows 10 that much more
accessible. Their strategy is to provide Windows 10 as a cloud service.
In launching Microsoft 365, the software
developer has made it easier to upgrade away from Windows 7 and 8.1. For the
modern business that depends on their Windows 7 workstations, this provides
them with an option to get their business moved over to a platform that’s
security is strong and up-to-date.
Windows 10 has been remarkably resilient as
threats continue to multiply. In fact, there are some people in the industry
that argue that Windows 10’s Windows Defender is one of the best antivirus
solutions ever made for a personal computer. It may be that for an individual
user Windows 10’s built-in security is enough to protect them against a web
filled with viruses and malware. For the enterprise, however, it is vigilant to
have added security in the form of a dedicated antivirus and powerful spam
blocker. That’s not to deride the improvements Microsoft has made to its
internal security system, it just provides more control for administrators
whose job is keeping these threats from damaging an organization’s operational
effectiveness.
What to
Expect from Windows 10 Enterprise Security
As stated above, Windows Defender is a strong
antivirus, but the real benefit to Windows 10’s security solutions is the improvement
in identity and access management and data protection. In improving Windows
10’s identity and access management systems, Microsoft has made a point to
improve security around the access points. They’ve thoroughly overhauled the
way they authorize users, groups, and other systems to access data on Windows
10-controlled networks or devices. With this enhancement, administrators have
more options to outline the ownership of objects, user rights, and data that is
available for reporting.
User Account Control (UAC), found in the most
recent version of Windows, is enhanced in Windows 10. It works to prevent
malware by blocking the installation of unauthorized applications and prevent
non-administrators from changing system settings. Another change is the use of
two-factor authentication to gain access. By setting up a two-factor
authentication system, users will be forced to have access to additional
accounts to gain access, mitigating access problems that come from stolen
passwords.
Additionally, Windows 10’s security includes
BitLocker, a data protection feature that integrates with the OS and is used to
address the near-constant threat of data theft (or unauthorized exposure).
There are also dynamic features such as the Trusted Platform Module, which provides
hardware-based security functions, and the ability to secure the Windows 10
boot process. Every security feature should be added into a dedicated Windows
Information Protection policy that can be set per device or over an entire
network.
Windows 10 is one of the strongest operating systems ever created in dealing with threats. Learn more by contacting our IT experts today at 859-746-1030.