Security in Windows 8: SmartScreen Filter
Table of contents:
- How the SmartScreen filter works
- Running an unknown application
- Confidentiality of our data
- Conclution
- Special Windows 8 In Depth
In today's article, I'm going to try to explain what is the SmartScreen filter present in Windows 8, in addition to speaking a little about the problems and inconveniences that this new function can cause.
We begin by explaining what it is and what it is used for.
Smart Screen is a filter found in the upcoming Microsoft operating system, Windows 8. Its function, basically, is to block the execution of unauthorized programsautomatically to avoid a security problem on our computer, thus avoiding malware and other unknown software.
The filter is not an invention of the new version, in fact it originates from the Internet Explorer 8 and 9 browser. The difference is that, now, this filter jumps from Internet Explorer to expand its operation and cover all security of the entire Windows 8 operating system
Although in theory, it is a very useful application with advantages, the reality is that it has some drawbacks. In some cases it can prevent a "clean" application from running. This is so because SmartScreen reports information about the use of the execution of these applications to Microsoft, to know if an application can be executed or not. In turn, this can compromise user privacy.
How the SmartScreen filter works
By default, Windows 8 sends information to Microsoft servers for every application that is downloaded and installed on our computer.
Microsoft servers are responsible for responding to this action according to the evaluation carried out for the specific application. If the downloaded application is clean, accepted, and known, it is allowed to run. An example would be the case of applications such as Mozilla Firefox and/or iTunes, applications known and accepted to be installed on your operating system.
Otherwise, where Microsoft can't find information about the app, it may recognize it as a new form of malware, even though it's a “clean” app but a bit specific, only used by people of a specific speci alty. If this happens, the system will stop running that application.
Within the function, another behavior that we have seen in Internet Explorer 8 and 9 has been imported. When we try to download an application through the browser, the SmartScreen filter is in charge of checking if the application is suitable to be downloaded or not. In Windows 8, this feature has been integrated into the operating system, so it works with other browsers, such as Firefox or Chrome.
Running an unknown application
When we try to start an application that SmartScreen intercepts, a screen appears with a message that says: “Windows has protected your PC”. After a message like this, be a little cautious.
Mainly There are 2 reasons why Windows has stopped running the application: The first is that Windows does not recognize this application as safe because its database tells it this, and the other option is that this application does not pose a security problem or anything like that, simplyWindows has not recognized it before and as a precaution blocks it.
If we know that the application is safe, we can click on the "More information" link and from there click on the Execute button that will allow the action to be executed, despite the fact that Windows has stopped it priori, bypassing the SmartScreen Filter.
Confidentiality of our data
Privacy issue? When we run an app, SmartScreen connects to Microsoft servers to check if the app is on the "white list" and allow action. Can this filter compromise our privacy?
SmartScreen is responsible for sending data to Microsoft when we run a program. The information includes the file name of the application that is trying to be executed, with the content of the application.This information is checked against the Microsoft database. If it matches a “clean” request, like iTunes for example, it can be executed.
Thanks to this connection, Microsoft knows the name of the application that is trying to run along with its IP address.
From here, many have rumored that Microsoft could build like this, a database of programs linked to users who use it specifically.
In fact, there is a Microsoft statement to deny this:
Conclution
Windows has always been criticized a bit for security, and it's not uncommon, seeing ghosts of IE from the past.
I see great utility of SmartScreen in Windows 8, since it can help prevent problems in not very experienced users, in the execution of programs that should not run.
On the other hand, many users find it a nuisance to have to accept or deny each execution of a program. But this has a solution that involves deactivating the functionality. From here on, the person who deactivates it must know that they are subject to the consequences that deactivation may cause.
In short, based on these "problems" and negative opinions, I believe that Microsoft has made an effort to maintain an operating system that is reliable and secure, and we attribute a large part of these adjectives to the contribution of the SmartScreen filter.
