Microsoft to release security-focused Win10 update

The next major update for Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system will contain advanced security enhancements to protect against new cyber threats released in the wild at a rapid pace, the company said.

For the upcoming Windows 10 creators update, Microsoft intends to integrate new features into the Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) security tool.

It will resurrect parts of its Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET), which aims to protect customers against new bugs before they're exploited.

EMET was deemed unnecessary on Windows 10 but customer feedback forced Microsoft to make it native to the operating system.

In particular, Microsoft will make the EMET Windows Defender Exploit Guard intrusion detection and prevention system available on Windows 10. WDEG obtains intelligence from Microsoft's Intelligent Security Graph cloud analytics system and provides built-in rules and policies to block intrusion attempts and threats.

Microsoft is also focusing on browser security with the Windows Defender Application Guard (WDAG). This runs the Edge browser in a virtual machine, isolated from the rest of Windows 10, and is able to block and contain malware that users may download.

The Windows Defender ATP tools will also include the Device Guard application control tool to automatically prevent untrusted code running on an organisation's deployed devices.

For the first time, ATP will be included on Microsoft's Windows Server platform, starting with the 2012 R2 and 2016 versions, the company said.

Microsoft also promises improved management tools for ATP, including dashboards for better reporting and threat insight.