Windows 7's XP Mode Cripples Malware, Gives Attackers Headaches

From DailyTech: No computer system is completely secure. Inherent insecurities exist in even the most secure systems, be it in the form of exploitable features in the operating system code or the big organic “insecurity” sitting in front of the machine, typing on the keyboard. That said, Windows 7 is shaping up to be much more secure than its predecessors.

You might not hear that widely reported in the press. Windows 7, like OS X, has been carefully scrutinized whenever a flaw sees the light of day. Most recently Microsoft caught a flaw in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and the Windows 7 Release Candidate. The flaw in the Windows' SMB (Server Message Block) 2 had not yet been exploited, but Microsoft warns, "An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. Most attempts to exploit this vulnerability will cause an affected system to stop responding and restart."

A work-around for the flaw has been released, but Microsoft says the flaw is already fixed in the Windows 7 RTM and Windows Server 2008 R2 versions. It is among the many that Microsoft has caught before it ships Windows 7, thanks to the largest public test of a commercial operating system to date. This unusual openness has earned the company both praise and scorn, but overall it's indicative of progress when it comes to security. And some of Microsoft's best security features in Windows 7 are almost unintentional, and haven't been widely publicized.

A new report by PureWire's Paul Royal, published in SC Magazine, a publication geared towards security professionals, indicates that Windows 7 will be the most secure Windows operating system to date. He concludes that all but the many casual attackers will be frustrated enough to turn to easier routes of attack, such as social engineering schemes.

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