14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8 will go live next month and Microsoft promises that the new operating system is a much more secure working environment thanks to a wide range of improvements.
Security software maker Symantec, however, isn't quite convinced that Windows 8 will manage to face all challenges when it comes to malicious attempts and emphasized that Microsoft hasn't spent so much time on the security chapter of the new OS.
“We're just not seeing any significant improvements in Windows 8 security [...] it doesn't move the needle much,” Gerry Egan, Symantec senior director, product management, was quoted as saying by Computerworld.
So, is Windows 8 a vulnerable operating system? Not quite, says Egan, as the Windows Store indeed adds a security layer to an otherwise standard operating system.
“It's partially true that Windows 8 is more secure,” Egan explained. “But underneath is a traditional Windows-Intel desktop, which is backward compatible with both the good code and the bad.”
One of the main security improvements bundled into Windows 8 is the new Windows Defender which received several major enhancements to cope with today's threats. Previously a typical anti-spyware product, Windows Defender now comprises Security Essential features, thus boasting antivirus capability to block and remove malware.
Windows Defender however isn't such an advanced piece of software, Symantec's official believes, so he encourages users to install his company's products.
Symantec recently announced that all its security solutions have been updated to work on Windows 8, so they now pack an updated engine that runs on low resources but, at the same time, does a much better job of protecting users.