Exploit Guard Reduces the Attack Surface
The Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit for Windows 7 is now integrated into Windows 10 as Exploit Guard. Attack surface reduction rules applied in audit mode can later protect from attacks against Microsoft Office and other software.
Advanced Threat Protection Offers Even More Defenses
ATP is integrated into the Enterprise E5 edition of Windows 10, and it goes beyond the basic malware protection provided by Windows Defender. ATP can stop breaches before they take hold across a network by sharing information with the Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph, monitoring behavior, using machine learning and analyzing security metrics.
Windows 10 Has Numerous Additional Cybersecurity Features
Microsoft wants users to stop using passwords because they are not secure, and Windows Hello takes us one step closer to that reality. Using biometrics, such as facial recognition or a fingerprint, users can log in to Windows 10 without a password.
Windows Hello for Business integrates with Azure Active Directory. Controlled Folder Access allows only the whitelisted processes to gain write access, blocking ransomware from encrypting files, and thereby protecting files.
And Mobile Device Management is built into Windows 10. Unlike Windows 7, it doesn’t require a separate agent. Windows 10 can join directly to AAD domains for agencies that want to use Microsoft’s modern management stack, which includes Intune, AAD and Windows Autopilot.
Windows 10 empowers modern hardware like the Dell Latitude 3590 and HP ProDesk 400 G5 to thwart ransomware and security breaches, such as “pass the hash” attacks, where one compromised device could lead to an attacker getting access to an entire network. Not only is an unpatched Windows 7 environment exposed to such threats, but agencies will have to pay extra for any fixes to the operating system next year.
Consider a speedy migration to Windows 10. Microsoft supports in-place upgrades to Windows 10 from Windows 7 and encourages this upgrade path. In the past, a wipe-and-reload approach was preferred, but improvements in the upgrade process in Windows 10 offer a more reliable experience. For agencies that can quickly redeploy apps and user settings, or those looking to move to modern management, a clean install is still a good option.