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Jul

27

Hands-on with Certified for Windows Vista Devices

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I’ve got a couple of reviews on some Certified for Windows Vista devices I’d like to highlight from some friends of mine.

DCVIEWS has published its review of the Nikon D40x. The D40x is Nikon’s consumer friendly DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) digital camera with quite a punch. I own the original Nikon D40 (no “x”) which is still impressive even for a first release. The Nikon D40x takes 10 megapixel photos while my D40 takes only 6 megapixel photos. The D40x also offers taking photos at a higher resolution that my D40. Read the review from DCVIEWS for a more detailed analysis of the Nikon D40x. You can also head over to Nikon’s D40x website to check out the feature and tech specs on the camera.


Andre Da Costa has a pretty extensive review on the Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 keyboard and mouse. Andre notes the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000’s tight integration with Windows Vista specifically with Windows Media Center.  The Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 essentially gives you a huge step-up from the Remote Keyboard for Windows XP Media Center Edition in its design for use with Windows Media Center. I own both keyboards and the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 is just amazing.


Two great reviews on two great devices.

Jul

26

10 Things - Using BitLocker, even without a TPM

Category: Vista News | Leave a Comment

While you may have heard of BitLocker, what you may not know is that you don’t need Trusted Platform Module to use it on your system.


BitLocker Drive Encryption is a new security feature integrated into the Windows Vista operating system that provides considerable protection to the OS and data stored on the operating system volume.  BitLocker ensures that data stored on a computer running Windows Vista remains encrypted even if the computer is tampered with when the operating system is not running.  This helps protect against “offline attacks” — those made by disabling or circumventing the installed operating system, or by physically removing the hard drive to attack the data separately.  In other words, attacks made when the system is not running.


Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption provides increased security by encrypting everything on your hard drive: data, programs and even Windows itself.  When you use BitLocker, your system is more difficult to tamper with, and thus you are better protected if your computer is ever lost or stolen.  BitLocker does not replace the need to use a strong password and other vital security features, but it does make it much harder for anyone else to read the information stored on your hard drive.


BitLocker is designed for systems that have a compatible TPM microchip and BIOS.  (A compatible TPM is defined as a version 1.2 TPM.)  A compatible BIOS must support the TPM and the Static Root of Trust Measurement as defined by the Trusted Computing Group.  When available, BitLocker uses a system’s Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to provide enhanced protection for your data and to assure early boot component integrity.  The chip performs a system integrity check — a process that verifies your computer system has not been tampered with — before unlocking your drive and allowing access to the data stored on it.  This helps protect data from theft or unauthorized viewing by encrypting the entire Windows volume.  Although the TPM interacts with BitLocker at system startup, its protection is transparent and the user logon experience is unchanged.  However, if the TPM is missing or altered, or if the start-up information has changed, BitLocker will enter recovery mode and the user will be required to enter a recovery password to regain access to the data.  For more information about TPM specifications, visit the TPM Specifications section of the Trusted Computing Group’s Web site.


A great thing about BitLocker is that even if you do not have a TPM 1.2 chip, you can still use the encryption it provides, but the system integrity checking enabled by the TPM will be unavailable.


For information about how to enable BitLocker on your computer without using a TPM 1.2 chip, see the BitLocker Drive Encryption Step-by-Step Guide.  You can also find more information about the requirements for BitLocker Drive Encryption, including partitioning, start-up options and recovery options.

Jul

24

Sting! The biggest software counterfeiting bust in history

Category: Vista News | Leave a Comment

[This is a post originally penned by Alex Kochis over on the WGA blog.] 


Earlier today the Chinese Public Security Bureau and the FBI announced the largest bust of counterfeit software manufacturing or distribution ever.  The bust took place in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong and includes arrests that took place over the last couple of weeks.  While the value of the software actually seized is estimated at about five hundred million dollars, we’re estimating that the value of software produced and distributed over the last few years by this particular group is closer to two billion dollars.


Beyond the sheer size of the bust, the most exciting aspect for MS’ WGA (Windows Genuine Advantage) team is knowing that WGA played a role in it.  More than 1,000 customers in 12 different countries who had purchased counterfeits from this particular source used WGA to learn their software was counterfeit, submitted the counterfeits to Microsoft, and forensic and intelligence specialists then traced the counterfeits back to the criminal syndicate in China.  Windows customers using WGA actually helped bring down the biggest software counterfeiting operation in history, as without their help, it’s possible that this piracy operation would never have been apprehended.


The goal of WGA goal is not to punish the people who purchased these programs — they are in fact victims — but rather to give them a tool that both lets them know they have been victimized and a way to do something about it.


A little cloak-and-dagger for your afternoon :).  The one on the left is the genuine article.


WGA bust

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