The Windows Vista Security Guide Beta Program Wants You!
Participate in a pre-release review program for the Windows Vista Security Guide . The Program ends September 26.
This guide will provide IT Professionals with specific recommendations and tools about how to guard against real-world security threats, such as malware, and how to better protect sensitive data. It will be available as a free download on the Security Solutions & Compliance site on Microsoft TechNet with public release of the Windows Vista™ client operating system, expected in Fall 2006.
The Windows Vista Security Guide is being developed by Microsoft engineering teams, consultants, support engineers, partners, and customers.
Your participation will require you to review the Beta version of the guide, its templates and tools, and to provide detailed feedback. More information on this process will be made available to you after you sign up for the Beta release.
To participate in the Windows Vista Security Guide Beta Program:
· You will need to sign in using a valid Windows Live ID.
· If you have not previously registered with Microsoft Connect, you are required to register.
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The following excerpt is from Chapter 1 of the Beta version of the Windows Vista Security Guide:
Executive Summary
Whatever your environment, you are strongly advised to take security matters seriously. Many organizations underestimate the value of information technology (IT), often because they exclude substantial indirect costs that IT can generate. If an attack on the servers in your environment is severe enough, it could significantly damage the entire organization. For example, if malware infects the client computers on your network, your organization could lose proprietary data, and experience significant overhead costs from IT resources to return the client computers in your environment to a secure state. An attack that makes your Web site unavailable also could result in a major loss of revenue or customer confidence.
Vulnerability, risk, and exposure analysis with regard to security informs you of the tradeoffs between security and usability that all computer systems are subject to in a networked environment. This guide documents the major security-related countermeasures that are available in Windows Vista, the vulnerabilities that the countermeasures