In
its latest beta build of the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft has slipped
in a new feature that could make your PC either safer or more irritating,
depending on your point of view. If you try to install a Win32 (desktop) app,
it'll either pop up a warning that "the app you're installing isn't from
the Windows Store" or completely block it, depending on the level of
security you select. When enabled, you can still install Windows Store and
Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps with no warning.
Microsoft
already blocks unknown Windows 10 software from being installed with a message
that "the publisher could not be verified." However, it's relatively
easy for bad actors to get around that and users can just bypass the error
message.
With
the new security settings, Windows 10 blocks any app that isn't in the Windows
Store, whether it's a UWP or desktop app (Microsoft only recently allowed
third-party desktop apps in the Windows Store). That means its policy will be
very similar to Mac's OS X, which makes you jump through hoops to install
non-App Store software.
Microsoft
is reportedly testing a "Windows Cloud" service that's basically a
Chrome OS-like version of Windows 10. The software giant may eventually offer
it for free or at a discount to try to claw back hordes of educators and other
uses that have switched to Google's OS. If the rumors are right, that new OS
doesn't allow you to install regular Windows apps either, but it's apparently
not the same thing as with the new Windows 10 Creators Update feature.
Via: Engadget
No comments:
Post a Comment