Exploiting the Windows OS

Securing the Windows OS can be a daunting task for the uninitiated, and if you add Windows networking, which we will discuss later, the task can be that much more complicated. So, why is Windows less secure than, say, Linux and OSX? or is there something else we need to consider? Microsoft has largely adopted a backward compatibility stance to its operating system. This has meant that applications developed in earlier versions of the OS still work in later versions. This also means that, in some cases, the underlying compatibility also brought any pre-existing security issues forward as well. Additionally, Windows dominates the desktop install base, taking nearly 75% of the market, making for a target-rich environment, so to speak. Now, let’s Look closer at Windows and see what’s under the hood. In its default fresh installation, Windows is a complex environment providing services and functions that work together to allow the operator to perform...