Windows 7 not safe from viruses?

Now that we in the arctic hemisphere accept had some time to abstract the Windows 7 advertising and achieve in for the advancing winter, we anticipation we would get some added harder abstracts apropos Windows 7 security.

On October 22nd, we acclimatized in at SophosLabs and loaded a abounding absolution archetype of Windows 7 on a apple-pie machine. We configured it to chase the arrangement defaults for User Account Control (UAC) and did not amount any anti-virus software.

We affective the next 10 different samples that accustomed in the SophosLabs augment to see how able-bodied the newer, added defended adaptation of Windows and UAC captivated up. Unfortunately, admitting Microsoft's claims, Windows 7 aghast just like beforehand versions of Windows. The acceptable account is that, of the freshest 10 samples that arrived, 2 would not accomplish accurately beneath Windows 7.

Table of malware samples activated adjoin Windows 7

User Account Control did block one sample; however, its abortion to block annihilation abroad just reinforces my admonishing above-mentioned to the Windows 7 barrage that UAC's absence agreement is not able at attention a PC from avant-garde malware.

Lesson learned? You still charge to run anti-virus on Windows 7. Microsoft, in the Microsoft Aegis Intelligence Address appear yesterday, declared that "The infection amount of Windows Vista SP1 was 61.9 percent beneath than that of Windows XP SP3."

But let's not get complacent. Microsoft seems to be adage that Vista is the atomic animal babyish in its family. You can be abiding the next address will highlight its even beneath animal adolescent sibling, Windows 7.

Why do I say this? As of October 31st www.netmarketshare.com states that Windows Vista has a 19% bazaar allotment adjoin Windows XP's 70.5% and Windows 7's 2%. Approximately 1 in 5 Windows users is application either Vista or Windows 7. These users generally accept newer computers, automated patching, and firewalls and anti-virus software in place.

With millions of hosts still adulterated with Conficker, ZBot and Bredo, it is accessible a lot of caught machines are still out there, and it is no abruptness that a lot of of those are XP.

As the blueprint aloft shows, Windows 7 users charge not feel larboard out. They can still participate in the ZBot botnet with a ancillary of affected anti-virus. Windows 7 is no cure for the virus blues, so be abiding to accompany your aegis if you cossack up.

Some more on windows 7 and OSX.

This one gets all the press, but it's absolutely added a artefact of Aero Peek than annihilation able in and of itself. Basically it takes some account from the Mac OS X berth like beyond icons and app launcher duties (icons can be "pinned" to abide in abode whether the appliance is accessible or not, a affiliation of Windows' old Quick Launch Bar into the taskbar proper), and adds in acceptable Windows taskbar action like the advertisement of accessible windows. The absence functionality is fine, which keeps aggregate "stacked" in its corresponding icon, but the absolute money is in the "combine if taskbar is full" view, which can be accessed from the taskbar properties. This brings the allowances of bombastic account names -- consistently a big win for Windows over Mac OS's icons-only access -- after sacrificing the adorned Aero Peek appearance or the appealing icons. What's not so affected is how hidden icons in the far-right arrangement tray are now housed in an animal little pop-up menu.

Even worse is the actuality that boring a book to an app figure in the taskbar doesn't acquiesce you to accessible that book with the app, but instead asks if you wish to "pin" the book to that app. Newsflash: we'd rather not. With a bit of plan you can re-add the old ancient Quick Launch set of mini-icons for annoyance and dropability, but that's appealing silly. We're animated there's abundant customization accessible to accomplish this livable, but we'd say Microsoft could accept done a bigger job of cerebration through its defaults.

Windows 7 Review

My personal review of Windows 7 is that its a great improvement over vista. I have personally been using windows 7 betas since Feb of last year. Even the first beta of Windows 7 was by far faster and more responsive then windows vista. Windows 7 brings loading time to the table unlike vista it loads with in a small amount of approx 10 seconds on my core2duo 3 gigs of ram. My review of windows 7 is that its far superior to Vista I would highly recommend that users with aged computers switch from Windows XP to vista and it will hold windows 7 without a problem. I personally installed Windows 7 on a P4 and it worked flawlessly. Windows 7 has some nifty little tricks like shacking a window and making all the other windows disappear. The graphics looks proffesional yet do not consume ridiculous amounts of resources... so you get a nice look without the system hugging like Windows Vista did. Overall Microsoft has surely redeemed itself from the terrible mistake of the past and should definitely be forgiven. 8.5/10