The Death of Security Software! Windows 8
Ever since Microsoft released Windows Vista, the software giant has gone back on track of releasing an operating system every few years. The latest being Windows 7. Well, the development cycle continues as Windows 8 is being developed right now. We should see on the market in two years or so.Some of the information starting to leak out Microsoft is indicating that Windows 8 will be far superior to even the success of Windows 7.
One of the many changes looks like a slimmed-down operating system where applications and browsers will operate in individual sandboxes.
What that means is, at least on a security level, that there may be no need for security software on Windows 8. If a fake antivirus alert, a virus, or other piece of malware attacks your computer while you’re using a browser for instance, that attack will not be able to get out of the sandbox and into other parts of your Windows operating system or onto your hard drive. You simply close the browser, which in turn closes the sandbox which the browser was running in, and the infection just goes away.
All this will be transparent to the user. There will be nothing new that you have to do or learn on a computer. Every time you open a browser a new sandbox is created around it.
If you’ve ever seen any of the Star Trek movies or the Star Trek TV shows you would be familiar with the James T. Kirk command “Shields Up”. When Captain Kirk would give that command you would sometimes see the graphic image of a force field surrounded the Starship Enterprise. You can think of a sandbox in a very similar way, except in reverse. Each sandbox surrounds each application as you start it and isolates it from the rest of the computer transparently. If something happens inside the sandbox it stays inside the sandbox until it is closed, protecting the rest of the computer.
There are other great features being talked about that may be coming in Windows 8, but I think this is probably the most important one for the average consumer who uses a computer in their home every day.
Just think, the possibility of not ever worrying about any kind of infection on your computer again. I hope Microsoft “Makes It So”.
5 Responses to The Death of Security Software! Windows 8
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I recently bought a Sony laptop with windows 8. McAfee is very aggressive about selling their anti-virus protection software. A notice for purchase popped up on my computer, and I had to re-boot to get rid of it. So is there a consensus on whether anti-virus protection is needed for Windows 8? If so, any recommendations?
Also, stoopid question: I recently bought an I-Pad, but would like to use my earphones, which don’t fit the plug. Can I purchase an adapter plug? Like at Radio Shack or some place like that? Muchas gracias.
Are there any 12 Step programs I can join? I’m addicted to my magic tablet. HELP ME BEFORE I i-PAD AGAIN !!!!
Sounds like the answer to a computer user’s dream. The only thing is that I hope to live long enough to get it and I will I be able to afford a machine that has enough RAM and memory to use Windows 8.
I have a desk top, laptop and an IBM note book all with XP and I feeling that I’m still learning things I can do. I understand from a lot of friends that 7 is great. Last month at out computer club meeting the question was asked for a show of hands for Win 7 users out of about 30, 7 or 8 used Win 7. People still love XP and place like business haven’t changed from XP an example is NIMC hospitals..
I estimate that Windows will include this kind of security mode about the same time Duke Nukem Forever ships and WinFS replaces ZFS in datacenters.
Wouldn’t that be nice! We can only hope.
Thanks for the info. That would be great if they can pull it off. Is there a similar protection planned for email borne malware?