What's new in Windows 7?
In February 2011, Microsoft released its first major update to Windows 7, Service Pack 1. As businesses retire older versions of Windows, it’s the perfect opportunity to assess your security policies and take advantage of the new security features of Windows 7.
Stop more threats
In Windows 7, Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) randomizes the locations in your computer memory where system libraries are loaded. When combined with Data Execute Prevention (DEP)—which prevents code from executing in areas of memory intended for data storage—ASLR makes it more difficult for malware to take advantage of security vulnerabilities in your browser, plug-ins and applications.
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00:06:10 - 05 Mar 2010
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Windows 7 - Security updates and features
Sophos experts Chester Wisniewski and Michael Argast of Sophos Canada discuss the latest security updates and features of Windows 7.
Protect your data
Windows 7 provides more granular USB port controls through the deployment of Group Policy Objects (GPOs) that can help you protect sensitive data. Windows 7 also introduces BitLocker To Go, which enables encryption to be deployed to removable disk drives like USB memory sticks and portable hard disks.
Manage user privileges
With the introduction of User Account Control (UAC), Windows 7 better secures desktops from drive-by malware attacks taking advantage of users' Administrative rights. UAC also simplifies the process for administrators to authorize behaviors that they know to be safe.
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00:11:45 - 11 Mar 2010
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Windows 7 - Security updates and features, part 2
In this second half of a two-part podcast, Sophos experts Chester Wisniewski and Michael Argast continue their conversation on the updates and changes made to Windows 7 security.
Enhance Windows 7 security
To ensure your company is completely protected, you may want to use a Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) that can watch the behavior of your applications as they run concurrently with standard Windows 7 features. This enhances your protection against zero-day malware by looking for behaviors that are malicious before a signature has ever been written.
Before implementing Windows 7, you should review your endpoint and data protection strategies to ensure your business has the best protection.
Plan for migration
Windows 7 supports Sophos Anti-Virus version 9 and above. But before you deploy it on Windows 7 computers, there are several configurations to check, including network settings, remote registry, UAC and firewall.
Visit our knowledge center to learn the 4 easy steps you should take before you deploy Sophos Anti-Virus on Windows 7 computers. Learn more
Additional resources