Black Hat: Microsoft releases free security tools

Microsoft has released a new tool for IT administrators which helps to secure unpatched Microsoft applications and some third-party software.

The Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) is designed to address the shift by attackers from targeting operating systems to targeting applications.

"When you see that shift from the operating system layer to the application layer it's a strong testament to hardening the operating system," Dave Forstrom, director of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing, told V3.co.uk.

"The purpose of EMET is you take the most current security mitigations and make them available for older applications. If people are still using older browsers, for example, they won't have some mitigations on by default."

The tool has been designed with a simple interface to make it as easy as possible to use. It records no data and can be very helpful in preventing problems developing, according to Forstrom.

The reaction from the industry has been positive, he said, and the researcher community is now seeing Microsoft as a help not a hindrance.