Windows Vista is by no means a self sufficient secure operating environment. And in fact, although Microsoft has improved the security delivered by the operating system, Windows Vista will still not guarantee protection against malware.

After Jim Allchin, Microsoft Co-President, Platform and Services Division, acknowledged the fact that Vista is neither foolproof nor perfect and that the use of additional security solutions integrated with the operating system is highly recommended, Natalya Kaspersky, CEO of Kaspersky Lab, offered the same advice.

"Windows Vista does have a number of features that improve security, but it still cannot guarantee protection against malware. A standalone antivirus solution is therefore a must. Consumers can protect their computers by choosing either a Microsoft solution or one from an independent antivirus company," stated Natalya Kaspersky.

In Windows Vista, and you can see this in the image at the bottom, Microsoft has classified the threats into spyware & Co and viruses.

"However, it is often impossible to categorize malicious programs without some ambiguity, as they have a range of functionality. Given this, how would Microsoft classify a malicious program that ends up on a computer because it is part of a worm, or spam or a Trojan, and then proceeds to spy on the user's actions? Vista's protection module, which only protects against a single type of malware, may give users a false sense of security, resulting in an increase in infected machines," added Natalya Kaspersky, that has also criticized Windows Defender as "a not a fully functional antivirus product."