14 DAY TRIAL // Customers can bulletproof Windows 7 almost completely through a simple move that doesn’t require an expensive security suite or setting up complex firewall rules. In fact, all that users need is available by default with the latest iteration of Windows 7. According to a report from BeyondTrust, the vast majority of security vulnerabilities are rendered useless provided that Windows 7 is run only through accounts with limited user privileges. In this regard, it’s perhaps worth mentioning that all Windows 7 accounts are restricted to standard user privileges, a move Microsoft made to increase the security of the operating system by decreasing the platform’s attack area.
“90% of Critical Windows 7 operating system vulnerabilities are mitigated by having users log in as standard users. Since the October 2009 release of Windows 7 there have been 10 Critical Windows 7 operating system vulnerabilities published. Companies would be better protected against exploitation of 9 of the Critical Windows 7 vulnerabilities by configuring users without administrator rights,” an excerpt from the 2009 Microsoft Vulnerability Analysis report reads.
Windows 7, just like its predecessor, features a range of security mitigations turned on by default. Users are protected by a combination of User Account Control, limited privileges, Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard (only in 64-bit versions)), IE Protect Mode, Address space layout randomization (ASLR) and Data Execution Prevention (DEP). All these mitigations combined make it extremely difficult for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in Windows 7, even when security flaws exist.
“Of all Windows 7 vulnerabilities ever published, 57% are mitigated by removing administrator rights. There have been a total of 23 Windows 7 vulnerabilities published to date. The first vulnerability was published in October 2009, the month Windows 7 was publically released,” BeyondTrust adds in its report.
Microsoft Windows 7 90-Day Eval VHD is available for download here.
Another Windows 7 RTM Enterprise 90-Day Evaluation is available for download here.
Windows 7 RTM Starter Edition, 100-Screenshot Gallery
Windows 7 RTM Home Basic 110-Screenshot Gallery
Windows 7 RTM Home Premium 120-Screenshot Gallery
Windows 7 RTM Professional 110-Screenshot Gallery
Windows 7 RTM Enterprise 100-Screenshot Gallery
