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Hardware latency Almost indistinguishable from state S2. Note: States S1 and S2 are not detailed in the table below because the issues discussed do not affect these states. To get a copy of the detailed GPO settings, see Section 8.
 
 

Windows 10 – Wikipedia.Windows security – Windows security | Microsoft Docs

 
System security · Encryption and data protection · Windows security baselines · Virtual private network guide · Windows Defender Firewall · Virus & threat protection. Set a password with your screensaver. This topic provides an overview of some of the software and firmware threats faced in the current security landscape, and the mitigations that Windows

 

Windows 10 enterprise security best practices free

 

For smaller businesses, the most important challenge is to prevent malicious code from reaching the PC in the first place. Microsoft’s SmartScreen technology is another built-in feature that scans downloads and blocks execution of those that are known to be malicious. The SmartScreen technology also blocks unrecognized programs but allows the user to override those settings if necessary.

On unmanaged PCs, SmartScreen is another feature that requires no manual configuration. Another crucial vector for managing potentially malicious code is email, where seemingly innocuous file attachments and links to malicious websites can result in infection.

Although email client software can offer some protection in this regard, blocking these threats at the server level is the most effective way to prevent attacks on PCs. An effective approach for preventing users from running unwanted programs including malicious code is to configure a Windows 10 PC from running any apps except those you specifically authorize. This setting allows previously installed apps to run, but prevents installation of any downloaded programs from outside the Microsoft Store.

Also: Windows 10 tip: Keep unwanted software off PCs you support. The most extreme approach for locking down a Windows 10 PC is to use the Assigned Access feature to configure the device so that it can run only a single app.

If you choose Microsoft Edge as the app, you can configure the device to run in full-screen mode locked to a single site or as a public browser with a limited set of features. Every version of Windows in the past 15 years has included a stateful inspection firewall. In Windows 10, this firewall is enabled by default and doesn’t need any tweaking to be effective.

As with its predecessors, the Windows 10 firewall supports three different network configurations: Domain, Private, and Public. Apps that need access to network resources can generally configure themselves as part of initial setup. For a far more comprehensive, expert-only set of configuration tools, click Advanced Settings to open the legacy Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security console.

On managed networks, these settings can be controlled through a combination of Group Policy and server-side settings.

From a security standpoint, the biggest network-based threats to a Windows 10 PC arise when connecting to wireless networks. Large organizations can significantly improve the security of wireless connections by adding support for the Windows 10 will prompt for a username and password when attempting to connect to this type of network and will reject unauthorized connections. On Windows domain-based networks, you can use the native DirectAccess feature to allow secure remote access.

For times when you must connect using an untrusted wireless network, the best alternative is to set up a virtual private network VPN. Main Menu. Disable Windows 10 automatic login. Set a password with your screensaver. Turn on your firewall. Disable remote access. Enable or install antivirus protection tools.

Enable auto-updates for your operating system. Set up file backups. Turn on encryption. Set up your user accounts. Set up a password manager. This is one of the first settings that you should change or check on your computer. Get the steps here: How to Disable Automatic Login in Windows 10 Bonus tip: If you do travel with your laptop or work from public places, you may want to get a privacy screen protector. If you want to check the settings for your Windows Firewall, we have instructions for you here: How to Turn on the Firewall in Windows 10 4.

We have the steps you need to turn off remote access in Windows 10 here: How to Disable Remote Access in Windows 10 5. You can use File History and other free tools in Windows 10 to create file backups. You can create a recovery drive to restore your system from an image backup. With a storage-sync-and-share service, you can put your backups in the cloud.

These are easy to set up, especially some of the most popular ones like OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. You can also set up multiple accounts with different levels of permissions: Administrator Account : The first account on a Windows 10 PC is a member of the Administrators group and has the right to install software and modify the system configuration. Standard Account: Additional accounts can and should be set up as Standard users.

If you install a third-party security package, Windows disables the built-in protection and allows that software to detect and remove potential threats. Large organizations that use Windows Enterprise edition can deploy Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection , a security platform that monitors endpoints such as Windows 10 PCs using behavioral sensors.

Using cloud-based analytics, Microsoft Defender ATP can identify suspicious behavior and alert administrators to potential threats. Also: Microsoft: Improved security features are delaying hackers from attacking Windows users. For smaller businesses, the most important challenge is to prevent malicious code from reaching the PC in the first place. Microsoft’s SmartScreen technology is another built-in feature that scans downloads and blocks execution of those that are known to be malicious.

The SmartScreen technology also blocks unrecognized programs but allows the user to override those settings if necessary. On unmanaged PCs, SmartScreen is another feature that requires no manual configuration. Another crucial vector for managing potentially malicious code is email, where seemingly innocuous file attachments and links to malicious websites can result in infection.

Although email client software can offer some protection in this regard, blocking these threats at the server level is the most effective way to prevent attacks on PCs. An effective approach for preventing users from running unwanted programs including malicious code is to configure a Windows 10 PC from running any apps except those you specifically authorize.

This setting allows previously installed apps to run, but prevents installation of any downloaded programs from outside the Microsoft Store. Also: Windows 10 tip: Keep unwanted software off PCs you support. The most extreme approach for locking down a Windows 10 PC is to use the Assigned Access feature to configure the device so that it can run only a single app. If you choose Microsoft Edge as the app, you can configure the device to run in full-screen mode locked to a single site or as a public browser with a limited set of features.

Every version of Windows in the past 15 years has included a stateful inspection firewall. In Windows 10, this firewall is enabled by default and doesn’t need any tweaking to be effective. As with its predecessors, the Windows 10 firewall supports three different network configurations: Domain, Private, and Public. Apps that need access to network resources can generally configure themselves as part of initial setup.

For a far more comprehensive, expert-only set of configuration tools, click Advanced Settings to open the legacy Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security console.

On managed networks, these settings can be controlled through a combination of Group Policy and server-side settings.

From a security standpoint, the biggest network-based threats to a Windows 10 PC arise when connecting to wireless networks. Large organizations can significantly improve the security of wireless connections by adding support for the Ensure all volumes are using the NTFS file system. Configure Local file and folder permissions. By default, Windows does not apply specific restrictions on any local files or folders; the Everyone group is given full permissions to most of the machine.

Remove this group and instead grant access to files and folders using role-based groups based on the least-privilege principle. Configure a timeout that locks the console’s screen automatically if it is left unattended.

Audit Policy and Advanced Audit Policy Configuration Create an audit policy according to audit policy best practices to define which events are written to the security logs to gain visibility into critical activity. Configure the event log retention method to overwrite as needed and make sure up to 4GB of storage is reserved. Configure security log shipping to your security information and event management SIEM tool, if you have one, to improve threat detection and response.

Rigorously enforce the least privilege principle to limit user rights. The User Rights Assignment settings control the permissions and access to privileged functions on a per user and per group basis. Install and enable anti-virus software. Configure it to scan all downloads and attachments and to provide real-time protection.

Set to update daily. Install and enable anti-spyware software. Configure it to update daily. Install and enable data loss prevention DLP software.

Promptly review, test and install recommended updates and patches for all operating system and applications to promptly patch vulnerabilities and improve application security. Follow security best practices, as well as database hardening and application hardening guidance, for all your systems. It’s up to you.

If you don’t use Microsoft as your primary email address, we recommend turning this option off altogether. This is where it gets a little creepy: sharing your call history data feels like a bit more than a simple intrusion to your privacy. At this point, it really starts to feel that you need to pay more attention to the type and amount of information you share. If you want to strengthen your Windows 10 security, there are plenty of things you can do to make your email accounts more secure.

The following steps are just what you need to secure your email account like a pro:. The Complete Guide to E-mail Security. Decide which apps, if any, should be able to read or send messages to your family, friends, coworkers and so on. Maybe you’d think this is a harmless setting you don’t need to pay attention to, but Bluetooth is also a radio-based technology, so do take a look at it.

This is the place where you choose how your devices can connect to one another to share data. Careful which devices you add to your “trusted” list, because they can represent a security hazard.

How generous do you feel with your time and attention? When it comes to Diagnostic and usage data, Microsoft doesn’t give users the option to provide nothing at all. So you can opt for Basic, Enhanced or Full recommended.

As you use Windows, we collect performance and usage information that helps us identify and troubleshoot problems as well as improve our products and services. We recommend that you select Full for this setting. Basic information is data that is vital to the operation of Windows. This data helps keep Windows and apps running properly by letting Microsoft know the capabilities of your device, what is installed, and whether Windows is operating correctly.

This option also turns on basic error reporting back to Microsoft. If you select this option, we’ll be able to provide updates to Windows through Windows Update, including malicious software protection by the Malicious Software Removal Tool. Enhanced data includes all Basic data plus data about how you use Windows, such as how frequently or how long you use certain features or apps and which apps you use most often.

This option also lets us collect enhanced diagnostic information, such as the memory state of your device when a system or app crash occurs , which may unintentionally include parts of a document you were working on when a problem occurred. We also use this information to measure reliability of devices, the operating system, and apps. If you select this option, we’ll be able to provide you with an enhanced and personalized Windows experience.

Full data includes all Basic and Enhanced data, and also turns on advanced diagnostic features that collect additional data from your device, which helps us further troubleshoot and fix problems. When devices experience problems that are difficult to diagnose or replicate with Microsoft’s internal testing, Microsoft will randomly select a small number of devices, from those opted into this level and exhibiting the problem, from which to gather all of the data needed to diagnose and fix the problem including user content that may have triggered the issue.

If an error report contains personal data, we won’t use that information to identify, contact, or target advertising to you. This is the recommended option for the best Windows experience and the most effective troubleshooting. Source: Windows 10 feedback, diagnostics, and privacy: FAQ. Again, knowledge is power here! Read the details before tweaking your settings, so you can ensure that you have a good grasp of what happens to your data.