Security will be the name of the game when Microsoft releases the new update of its Windows 10 operating system in just over a month. The company confirmed today that a major update to Windows 10 will be widely released on August 2.
On its company blog, Microsoft spelled out a list of new features that will come with the update. Chief among those are security upgrades, improvements to its Cortana digital assistant and features designed to make touchscreen devices running the OS more useful and efficient.
Microsoft said that the updated version of Windows 10, marking the one-year anniversary of the OS, is the most secure Windows ever. For individual users, the update includes Windows Hello for apps and Web sites and Windows Defender.
Windows Hello, a new feature, makes it easier for users to get the most out of the natively supported security biometrics of the Microsoft Edge browser. Companion devices can use Windows Hello to unlock PCs, allowing quick, secure sign-ins, Microsoft said.
An enhancement to Windows Defender, Microsoft’s free anti-malware service, enables users to automatically schedule periodic quick scans of their PCs and receive new notifications and summaries when scans are complete and threats are found.
Enterprise Tools
For enterprise users, the updated Windows 10 includes Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection. This feature detects, investigates and responds to advanced malicious attacks on networks by providing a more comprehensive level of threat intelligence and attack detection.
The service uses what Microsoft termed the world’s largest array of sensors and expert advanced threat protection, including a team of security researchers at the company who provide in-house and security partner intelligence. Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection now covers more than 700,000 endpoints and is being used in pilots by more than 300 active enterprises participating in 70 countries around the world, according to Microsoft.
To help protect businesses from accidental data leaks, which Microsoft said is the largest source of lost data, the update also delivers Windows Information Protection. Formerly called Enterprise Data Protection, this feature lets businesses separate personal and organizational data and helps protect corporate data on desktop as well as mobile devices.
Refined Cortana
The latest release of the update will also let users make greater use of Cortana, which has come with the OS since it was released last year. Cortana can now take commands on users’ lock screens so they can ask questions without having to unlock their devices. Another new tool in the Windows 10 update allows users to write notes via touchscreen-enabled tablets or laptops. The new Windows Ink tool turns devices into virtual notepads.
Users of previous versions of the operating system can update to Windows 10 for free until July 29. Microsoft hasn’t said how much it will cost to upgrade to its new OS after that date. Members of the Windows Insider program can take part in a public beta test of the new Windows 10 build before its official release on August 2.
Pictured above: Windows 10 with Cortana features.
