Microsoft Releases Windows 10 Update With Host Of New Security Features

Microsoft has released the preview of a Windows 10 update for PC users that boasts several new security features, including improved protection against ransomware.

Windows 10 Preview Build 16232 for PC is now available to users on the Windows Insiders programme and includes improvements to Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG) along with new exploit protection capabilities.

Users can also get their hands on Windows 10 Mobile Insider Preview Build 15228, which contains a series of bug fixes as well as improvements to battery life and Bluetooth connectivity.

Windows 10 updates

WDAG was first introduced in September 2016 to counter the growing risk of cyber attacks and has now been improved to help defend against today’s new generation of threats.

Support for Microsoft Edge data persistence while using Application Guard has also been added, meaning data related to favourites, cookies and saved passwords will be used unchanged across Application Guard sessions.

To enable this, users need to visit the WDAG policy page in the Windows Components menu and turn on data persistence.

The next update concerns exploit protection. Users are now able to audit, configure and manage their Windows system and application exploit mitigation settings from the Windows Defender Security Center (WDSC).

And finally we come to the ransomware protection in the form of controlled folder access in Windows Defender Antivirus which helps users protect personal data malicious apps and threats.

“Controlled folder access monitors the changes that apps make to files in certain protected folders,” writes Dona Sarkar, Software Engineer in Microsoft’s Windows and devices group.

“If an app attempts to make a change to these files, and the app is blacklisted by the feature, you’ll get a notification about the attempt. You can complement the protected folders with additional locations, and add the apps that you want to allow access to those folders.”

Additional folders can be added to the list of protected folders but the default list, which includes Documents, Pictures, Movies and Desktop, cannot be altered.

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