More Vista security concerns

More worries about the security of Windows Vista have been raised by security experts just days before Microsoft's latest operating system is due to launch.

Surfers were this week warned not to download free 'cracked' copies of Vista being offered on the internet as they may contain damaging malware programs.

Now security experts are questioning the effectiveness of Windows Defender, Microsoft's anti-malware program, and the default security settings of Windows Vista.

"We want to make sure that users understand the Vista operating system’s limitations, and caution them that Microsoft’s default malware blocking application and anti-virus programs may not fully protect them," said Gerhard Eschelbeck of Webroot software.

Webroot's testing procedures had found that Windows Defender failed to block 84 per cent of malware in a sample set that included 15 of the most common variations of existing malware and spyware, according to the company.

Additionally, Webroot questioned the frequency of updates to anti-virus definitions in Windows Defender. The product is only updated every week to ten days, said Webroot, and this isn't good enough. Webroot pointed out that it updates its own security applications on an hourly basis.

Webroot also criticised the fact that Vista customers will have to pay extra for security software. Microsoft will launch Windows Live OneCare alongside Windows Vista on 30 January.

Windows Live OneCare will cost £38 per year in the UK and customers will be able to install it on up to three PCs. The package is billed as an all-in-one PC care service, and will also be compatible with Windows XP.

http://www.webroot.com/
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/
http://onecare.live.com/

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