Windows 10 Fall Update will Include Ransomware Protection

Microsoft has released details about the upcoming Windows 10 Fall update. While many of these details will be interesting, there is one item that is somewhat topical at the moment. Windows 10 is going to attempt to incorporate ransomware protection.

Ransomware protection in the fall update?

Yes, the Windows 10 fall update will include a form of protection against ransomware attacks. We have previously reported that the fall update was set to include a new version of Movie Maker. While that is going to be great, this late addition will be met with much praise, if it works.

Ransomware is becoming one of the most significant and relevant threats to PC users these days. Without wishing to toot my own horn, I did write an article for eTeknix roughly 3 weeks before the first major attack on the NHS. I could clearly see, as I think most people who keep up to date with this stuff could, that ransomware was the next big thing.

Even just a few days ago I reported that a company in South Korea had agreed to pay a $1m bitcoin ransom following an attack. Ransomware is, put simply, big business at the moment.

What form will this protection take?

It is not exactly clear what protection they will offer, it’s likely that Microsoft itself doesn’t exactly know yet either. Here is the newest fall update statement from Microsoft if you want to take a stab yourself.

I believe however that the fall update protection will be built around UAC protection. Yes, that same horrible thing that made Vista a misery, but hear me out. Such a control would actually be a good thing if implemented correctly.

For example, if you allowed a UAC program to designate what programs or apps are allowed to directly interact with, for example, your Windows user document folder, it could help protect those files most vital to you.

I do not think that there is a way to outright prevent ransomware any more than there are viruses. Ultimately the biggest virus risk on a PC is the user and what stupid things they download.

That being said, any protection is a good idea and if Microsoft does implement this in the fall update it might at least provide some protection to what currently has none. If Microsoft uses my idea, I want commission by the way.