Microsoft's efforts in improving security

One might think that the spate of Windows security flaws all last year had been taken somewhat personally by Bill Gates, as he seems to have made making Windows more secure his new personal crusade. Speaking at the 14th annual RSA conference in San Francisco this week, Bill outlined Microsoft's several new products aimed at increasing desktop and network security. Only some of these new technologies are going to be free, but one certainly does get the feeling that there is some effort to make these Microsoft technologies more secure.

Key features of Microsoft direction in security will be:

-Improved software updating systems.
-Better system and network isolation.
-Improved authentication and identity management.
-Initiatives for anti-spam improvements.

Some implementations of these new directions might include, for example a single Microsoft Update ecosystem, better anti-spyware, smart cards and other improvements in authentication, as well as upgrades to Hotmail, Exchange, and Outlook to help deal with the increasing problems of spam and viruses. Microsoft also plans to release their System Management Server (SMS) product soon, and have begun to demonstrate the Internet Explorer 7.0 browser.