Chapter 4. Security
On the security front, Windows 7 has streamlined several features found in Windows Vista, making them much more accessible and less irritating in this new version of Windows. For example, the infamous User Account Control (UAC) is one of the most annoying features in Vista. In this version of Windows, Microsoft has tweaked UAC so that it interrupts users only when needed. Microsoft has also replaced the Security Center in Vista with the new Action Center in Windows 7, which focuses not just on displaying problems, but also on offering suggestions and solutions to solve problems. The Credential Manager now has the ability to back up its credential information to a file. In addition, Enterprise and Ultimate users can now encrypt a portable thumb drive using BitLocker To Go.
Action Center
In Windows 7, Microsoft has designated the new Action Center as the one-stop place to find all your system maintenance and security messages. The key design goal of the Action Center is to help users solve system issues quickly and conveniently.
The system tray is now less cluttered, compared with its appearance in previous versions of Windows—it now has four main icons: Action Center, Network, Speaker volume, and Date and Time (see Figure 4-1). Mobile computers will have a power icon as well.
Figure 4-1. The four icons in the System tray
In particular, the Action Center icon (represented ...
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Read now
Unlock full access