Pop Quiz
Vista Security (Exam 70-620)
Which additional security features are found within Windows Vista 64-bit which make it more secure by design than Windows Vista 32-bit?
(Choose two)
- NTFS
- Kernel Patch Protection
- Data Execution Protection
- Required Driver Signing
Answer: B, D.
Windows Vista 64-bit includes protection against programs that attempt to patch the Kernel.
Disabling driver signing in not available with Windows Vista 64-bit.
Kernel Patch Protection detects changes to critical portions of the kernel memory and creates a stop error to halt the operating system.
Data Execution Protection prevents buffer overflow attacks, which are one of the most common exploits. DEP is available and called by the operating system as software in Windows Vista 32-bit. On the other hand, Windows 64-bit works with the processor's built-in DEP and enforces this security at the hardware level.
Kernel Patch Protection, Data Execution Protection, and Required Driver Signing are the key reasons why Windows Vista 64-bit is more secure than Windows Vista 32-bit.
Tip:
Don't disable DEP in Windows Vista, and configure Required Driver Signing with Group Policy.
Tech Reference:
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Help and Support: A description of the differences between 32-bit versions of Windows Vista and 64-bit versions of Windows Vista
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About the Author
Andy Barkl, CCNP, CCDP, CISSP, MCT, MVP, MCDST, MCSE: Security, MCSA: Security, MCSA: Messaging A+, CTT+, i-Net+, Network+, Security+, Server+, CNA, has over 20 years of experience in the IT field. He's the owner of MCT & Associates LLC, a technical training and consulting firm in Phoenix, Arizona. He enjoys dividing his time between teaching in the classroom, writing from his office and consulting on Cisco and Windows deployments. He's also the online editor for MCPMag.com, TCPMag.com, CertCities.com, and a contributing author and editor for Sybex and Cisco Press. He hosts a multitude of exam preparation chats monthly on MCPmag.com and CertCities.com.