Top 10 innovations in Windows 7 security mechanisms (1)

When people are discussing the elegant interface brought about by the brand new Windows 7 Operating System: brand new tool bar, perfect sidebar, and brand new interface Windows Explorer at the same time. In addition to improvements in appearance, the underlying system has also undergone significant changes, including innovative security features. Let's check the top ten security features added or improved in Windows 7 one by one.

1. Action Center
In Vista, we can set the security features of the system through the security center in the control panel. Windows 7 does not have the security center shadow. This is because the security Center has been integrated into the new Action Center. In addition to the original security settings, Action Center also contains options required for managing tasks, such as Backup, Troubleshooting And Diagnostics, And Windows Update. Figure A shows the Action Center interface.

Figure A: Action Center absorbs the original Security Center section

2. UAC changes

User Account Control (UAC) is a concept introduced by Vista. It is designed to help users better protect system security and prevent malicious software intrusion. It runs all accounts, including administrator accounts, with standard account permissions. If you require administrator privileges for some operations, you must first request for permission. This mechanism causes a large number of user complaints, and many users choose to disable UAC, which in turn causes their systems to be exposed to greater security risks.

In Windows 7, UAC still exists, but users have more options. In the Action Center, you can configure UAC in four ways:

• When installing software or modifying Windows system settings, users are always reminded to be the same as those in Vista ).
• When installing software, the user is reminded not to remind the user of the current default settings when modifying Windows Settings ).
• The user is reminded when installing the software, but the UAC Secure Desktop is disabled, that is, other desktop areas will not expire when the user is prompted.
• Never remind users not to recommend this method)

As shown in Figure B, we can use the slide bar to select the corresponding one.

Figure B: Use the slider to determine when and how UAC reminds users

3. Improved BitLocker

I rarely use BitLocker in Vista. Because first, this technology can only encrypt operating system partitions. This is good for laptops, but it is useless for my desktops because the desktop is safe. Service Pack 1 adds the function of encrypting other disks, and the effect is good, but it can only be used for hard disks. What I need is to encrypt the mobile hard drive or USB flash drive, because the storage media is mobile and easy to lose.

In Windows 7, we saw impressive improvements. BitLocker can encrypt a Mobile Disk and it is easy to operate. We only need to open BitLocker in the control panel, select the disk we want to encrypt, and then click Turn On BitLocker. Removable storage devices are displayed in the BitLocker To Go category, as shown in C.

Figure C: We can use BitLocker to encrypt USB storage devices

It should be noted that, like Vista, BitLocker is not included in the Home Edition Windows 7 operating system.