What’s new in Windows 10 security features: The privacy edition

Here's what you need to know about each security update to Windows 10 as they roll out from Microsoft. Now updated for the 1803 feature release.

By Susan Bradley
Contributing Writer, CSO | May 14, 2018 11:09 AM PT

With the new era of Windows as a service, Microsoft is rolling out changes to the operating system twice a year. Many of those changes will allow you to improve your security posture and offer more security choices. You no longer have to wait for a new operating system to deploy new security features.

Below is a summary of all the new security features and options in Windows 10 version 1803, which I call the privacy edition. Bookmark this article, because we will be adding new security features as Microsoft releases future Windows updates.

With the new era of Windows as a service, Microsoft is rolling out changes to the operating system twice a year. Many of those changes will allow you to improve your security posture and offer more security choices. You no longer have to wait for a new operating system to deploy new security features.

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Below is a summary of all the new security features and options in Windows 10 version 1803, which I call the privacy edition. Bookmark this article, because we will be adding new security features as Microsoft releases future Windows updates.
Windows 10 1803: The privacy edition

This edition was slated to be released in March 2018. Due to quality and release issues including reported blue screens of death in some of the final testing releases, the feature release date was postponed to April 30. It is encouraging to see that Microsoft is putting an emphasis on quality and not just depending on shipping the feature update as a key milestone.

For best results, install your video driver and motherboard updates before installing any feature update. It’s also wise to reach out to your vendors, specifically for any third-party security software you depend on. Many have security software releases ready to go as Windows 1803 is released. Others might need time to revise their software to work with the new edition.

Windows 1803 is deemed to be in semi-annual targeted release. Enterprises should test and confirm that the update is acceptable to the business. In a few months when Microsoft declares the software is “semi-annual channel,” it’s deemed to be ready for businesses to fully deploy and for broader release. When Microsoft announces that release date, it will be re-released to the Windows Software Update Services channel and other enterprise patching platforms to allow for broader release.

The next feature release is expected in the September time frame. Windows is also aligning its feature release timetable with Office 365 releases. Even though there are only six months between feature releases, Microsoft supports each individual release for a reasonable about of time. Normally, Microsoft supports a Windows 10 edition with quality (security) updates for 18 months. Due to changes in Office, it added six months of support to 1607, 1703, and 1709 versions. Thus, you can choose to skip one version and jump over to the next in your deployment methodology.

Here are just a few reasons that you might want to deploy 1803 sooner versus later:

Prease to read more here:

https://www.csoonline.com/article/3253899/windows/whats-new-...

For the record, I've installed this on a separate drive from a clean install... For me it's been kind of a tooth ache.

I've got the prime system drive set to not update for 365 days... I'll wait about 3 months and see what comes of this.. I'm not convinced all the little nasties are out of this one yet... it might be another one that's been pushed out just to meet the new rules of the UK and may not quite be ready for prime time... but we'll see...