Windows Archive

"Windows Vista Beta 2 includes a new defense against buffer overrun exploits called address space layout randomization. Not only is it in Beta 2, it's on by default too. Now before I continue, I want to level set ASLR. It is not a panacea, it is not a replacement for insecure code, but when used in conjunction with other technologies, which I will explain shortly, it is a useful defense because it makes Windows systems look 'different' to malware, making automated attacks harder." On a related note, Microsoft is having difficulties in reaching parity between the 64bit and 32bit version of Vista concerning the amount of drivers shipped.

Don't expect Microsoft to talk much about the Basic edition of Windows Vista when the operating system ships. The software maker wants you to go Premium. Microsoft is readying its marketing efforts for Vista, the successor to Windows XP slated to be broadly available in January. In its consumer campaigns, the company plans to highlight specific uses - which it calls 'scenarios' - of the operating system. In each case, Windows Vista Home Premium will be the product Microsoft tries to sell.

"It's been a long and arduous journey, but Microsoft continues to make progress in its plan to release Windows Vista. This week, at the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference in Seattle, Microsoft is unveiling Beta 2 of its next-generation operating system, marking a critical milestone on the release plan. Because Vista code, at this point, is essentially feature-complete, Beta 2 - also known as build 5384.4 - doesn't contain a lot of readily visible changes from the builds we've covered previously. But in the months since the February CTP release, Microsoft has continued to improve Vista's fit and finish, flesh out the capabilities of bundled programs, and clean up bugs (though there are still plenty)."

Brad Wardell writes us: "Windows Vista Beta 2 is nearly here and now seems as good a time as any to take a look at where things stand with Microsoft's next-generation operating system. As this article makes clear, Windows Vista has a lot of potential - it is a major upgrade. But it also has some major issues to overcome prior to release."

Microsoft used the annual Mobile & Embedded DevCon to announce the availability of a beta release of Windows CE 6, the next generation of its real-time software used to build customized operating systems for devices such as internet protocol set-top-boxes, Global Positioning System-based devices, and industrial automation and medical devices. With a redesigned operating system kernel architecture, expanded capacity for simultaneous processes (up to 32000) and newly integrated tool set, Windows CE 6 promises help device makers more quickly create devices that support a range of applications for high-demand categories.

Microsoft has shelved plans to include built-in support for RSA Security's tokens in Windows Vista, even though the company has been testing out the authentication technology for almost two years. In February 2004, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said that Windows would be able to support easy integration with RSA's popular SecurID tokens. That meant businesses would find it far easier to deploy a two-factor authentication system for logging on to networks and applications. However, almost two years after the SecurID beta-testing program kicked off, RSA's chief executive, Art Coviello, disclosed that Windows Vista will not natively support the technology.