Windows 7 Lockdown with Privilege Management
With the Windows XP sunset date fast approaching, plans for Windows 7 migrations are in full swing. This has prompted most organizations to re-assess their approach to PC lockdown. Our survey indicates a 456% jump in demand to implement privilege management software for companies planning to migrate to Windows 7 in the first half of 2011. The data further shows that 63% of survey respondents deem it critical to manage administrative privileges for end users to ensure security and reduce vulnerability.A smart approach. A privilege management system balances the rigidity of locking down end points with the needs of user customization. It provides security and operations professionals with a method for securing the end-point by elevating privileges at the application level, or for desktop functions, rather than providing total administrative privileges. Systems are less at risk without sacrificing user productivity or increasing support call volume, thereby offering a cost effective approach to providing secure and productive desktop computing environments.
- User Autonomy or IT Control? The Answer to Both Concerns Is Yes
- Michael A. Silver | Ronni J. Colville
- 3 February 2010
- IT organizations are still struggling to create the appropriate balance between a secure and productive user management environment, and ensuring enough flexibility to enable user innovation and productivity. However, the struggle for cost efficiencies should not override the critical balance needed for managing users. IT organizations must leverage various vehicles to achieve balanced management.
Key Findings
- IT organizations must determine the appropriate level of control across their user base to create a secure and auditable infrastructure.
- A one-size-fits-all standard (that is, complete lockdown or allowing all users autonomy) will lead to increased costs and productivity loss.
- IT organizations can leverage security and operation management tools (quarantining and PC configuration management) to enable various management techniques.
Viewfinity Content
- Viewfinity Takes the Pain out of Privilege Management
- By Frank Ohlhorst, October 2010
- Managing user privileges is one of the first steps in securing desktops from unauthorized use. However, privilege management can be a complex and difficult process. Viewfinity removes much of that complexity and should be useful for regulatory compliance.
- Windows 7 and Desktop Lockdown with Privilege Management
- by Dwain Kinghorn, former CTO of Altiris
- All organizations have to consider how to deploy Windows 7 over the next few years because Microsoft has announced the end of life dates for Windows XP support. The migration to Windows 7 provides an opportune event to re-evaluate desktop security standards and look for ways to more cost effectively provide secure and productive desktop computing environments.
