Security is the foundation of the Windows Vista architecture. With Windows Vista, you'll be able to connect to any user you want to connect to and do whatever you want, and trust Windows Vista to keep your information and your computer safe. Windows Vista's security features prevent newly generated threats such as worms, viruses, and malware. In the unlikely event of a successful intrusion, Windows Vista ensures that damage is minimized. User Account Protection
By running applications with restricted licenses, Windows Vista User Account Protection bridges the gap between users and administrative privileges. When you need to perform administrative tasks such as installing software or drivers, Windows Vista prompts you to determine your intent or prompt you for credentials. For example, if you are on the go and download a game that is a Trojan horse, Windows Vista can prevent this game from performing malicious tasks because the user lacks sufficient permissions for the installation. When you need to install a printer driver for a hotel printer, Windows Vista prompts you to verify that you really want to install this printer. This protection is combined with the new Protected Mode feature in Internet Explorer to reduce the impact of viruses, spyware and other types of malware (collectively "malware"). Preventing the impact of malware
IT departments and individual users spend a lot of time and resources to solve problems caused by malware and try to detect and prevent problems before they occur. Windows Vista includes powerful features to prevent, detect, and remove malware before malware causes problems. The result: improved computer performance, less support for calls, and increased security. Protecting lost, stolen or misappropriated computers
Advanced data protection technology in Windows Vista reduces the risk of data on laptops or other computers being viewed by unauthorized users, even if the laptop is lost or Lost. Windows Vista supports full volume encryption to prevent other operating systems from accessing files from disk. It also stores the keys in a Trusted Platform Model (TPM) v1.2 chip. The entire system partition is encrypted, whether it is a dormant file or user data. Custom Authentication Mechanisms For many organizations, verifying users with usernames and passwords is not enough to guarantee the required level of security. Windows Vista has improved Smart Card support that makes it easier for developers to implement custom authentication mechanisms such as biometrics and tokens. Network Access Protection
Viruses and worms can attack a protected internal network with a mobile computer that has not yet downloaded the latest upgrade, security configuration settings, or virus signatures. Mobile users may connect to unprotected networks in hotels, airports, or coffee shops where their computers may be infected with malware or viruses. Windows Vista has network access protection to prevent a compromised computer from connecting to your internal network until it meets your security standards. Firewall
Windows Vista provides outgoing and incoming filtering, which can be centrally managed through Group Policy. This allows the administrator to control which applications are allowed to communicate on the network or from being blocked on the network. Controlling network access is one of the most important ways to mitigate security risks. Windows Service Enhancement
In an unlikely event, an intruder finds and exploits a vulnerable service, and Windows Service Enhancement limits the extent of this damage. It does this by preventing damaged services from changing important configuration settings in the file system or registry or preventing them from infecting other computers on the network. For example, you can prevent remote program call (RPC) services from replacing system files or modifying the registry. Internet Explorer 7 Enhancements
Internet Explorer 7 includes many features that can block malicious Web sites and malware. The new protected mode provides Internet Explorer 7 in Windows Vista with sufficient permissions to browse the Web, but does not have the authority to modify user settings or data without the user's consent. To prevent phishing and spoofing attacks, Internet Explorer 7 does the following: • Highlights the address bar when users access Secure Sockets Layer protected sites and allows them to easily check the legitimacy of site security credentials • Include a network Phishing filter, if the user is accessing a site that is known to be insecure, it will alert the user • Allow the user to clear all cached data by clicking on Internet Explorer, allowing users to browse more securely and safely