Seven Improved Security Features in Windows 7

While no operating system is perfect, Microsoft appears to have made significant security improvements with the release of Windows 7. This slideshow complements a post in Sue Marquette Poremba’s blog about the seven features she thinks will have the most impact on security in the newest version of Windows.

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Click through to see seven new and enhanced security features that will make a real difference in the new Microsoft OS.

BitLocker to Go in Windows 7 includes data encryption to portable USB devices, like thumb drives. The encrypted information can be changed only on a Windows 7 machine by using a password. It can be read but not manipulated on Windows XP or Vista.

The Security Center that was on Vista has been absorbed into the Action Center. Users are notified of changes in the system on the taskbar.

DirectAccess allows remote users to secure their networks over the Internet without a VPN, creating an atmosphere that is as safe and secure from a laptop in a hotel room as it would be from the office desktop.

BranchCache creates a cache of a document or application locally. If someone else needs that information, it is downloaded from the cache rather than the network.

Administrators control who can download software onto work computers and what applications can be accessed, lessening the threat of someone downloading malware.

New to Windows 7 is Windows Biometric Framework, which provides support for fingerprint detection applications. Windows has had the capabilities for biometrics in the past, but required third-party software to use it. Now it is part of the OS.

User Account Control (UAC) was one of the most maligned aspects of Vista, as it repeatedly asked user permission for administrative applications. Windows 7 gives the user more options on how and when it provides notifications.