Anyone wishing to prevent disaster from happening will naturally be concerned about security issues, and Windows Vista introduces the Security Center as the local point for this. Security Center ensures there is a firewall in place to protect against the potential threat of malware, as well as ensuring that Automatic Updates are enabled so that Vista always has the latest fixes and patched installed. The Security Center will also warn you if there is no anti-virus software installed (Vista doesn't feature any built-in antivirus programs, as we'll see later on), while Windows Defender will help to protect against malware infection, malicious downloads and a variety of other internet-borne threats. Should any of these defence mechanisms be disabled, or if they are not installed, the Security Center will alert you to the fact and suggest steps that should be taken.



The security of Vista's new web browser - Internet Explorer 7 also goes a long way to helping protect your computer. It can automatically block access to websites that are known to be malicious (such as phishing sites), and prevent the appearance of pop-up windows, which can often include malicious links. Another security concern for those with wireless home networks is encryption. Without encryption in place, it could be possible for others to gain access to your internet connection or, worse, your per¬sonal files and data.