Pro Tip: How to Secure Windows 10 Boot Process

by Ellie Williams Web Designer

The basic function of an operating system is to offer a safe platform where all the applications and software can run smoothly. This requires a basic framework for a hassle-free program execution that can utilize the hardware and have a secure access to the system resources. To make operating system able to do this, several portions of the OS start and execute at system boot time. Apart from this, other features that provide this level of protection are as follows:

Smart Screen Filter
Windows Defender

The former i.e. smart screen filter warns the user every time they try to run an untrustworthy application. Please note that this filter works only for Windows 10 and later versions. On the other hand, Windows Defender provides high-end protection for your system files and applications from the harmful online threats as well as malware. The tool uses signatures for finding out the apps that seem to be malicious. In Windows 10, you will get this level of security even during startup. Before you read more about this process of security, it’s better to know a brief of rootkits.

boot-process

Rootkits are the set of tools used for hacking a device using a cracker. This cracker tries to gain the user-level access of your computer system by breaking a password or some other way. A number of rootkits that run during PC startup are kernel rootkits, firmware rootkits, driver rootkits and bootkits. The all new Windows 10 comes with four exclusive features that secure its boot process and harmful online threats. These features include:

Trusted Boot

By using the VTPM or Virtual Trusted Platform Module, Trusted Boot (Bootloader) checks the digital signatures of the operating system’s kernel before loading the boot process. Apart from this, it also verifies other components such as ELAM, startup files, drivers, etc. for their proper functioning. At any point, if the bootloader finds a file corrupted or malware affected, it refuses to load.

Secure Boot

Secure boot is a security standard that protects your system from malicious programs and viruses. To enable this security feature, Secure boot doesn’t allow any unauthorized application to execute during the booting process. In short, this bootloader ensures that your PC boots software that are authorized by the PC manufacturer.

Measured Boot

You might not be aware of this fact, but it’s true that if your PC is infected with rootkits and connected to a network, then chances are high that the rootkits may harm other PCs as well. This bootloader in the Windows 10 permits an authorized server on the network to check the reliability of the Windows startup by using a number of processes.

Early Launch Anti-Malware

ELAM offers exciting protection to your computer system before startup. It also checks all the third-party drivers before they initialize. Once the verification of the Trusted Boot finishes the job of ELAM i.e. protecting your PC starts. The working of secure boot, trusted boot and then Early Launch Anti-Malware establishes a chain of security.

Author’s Bio- Ellie Williams has 12 years of experience in writing the technical contents related to the upcoming technological changes, newly launched mobile apps, antivirus, software and operating systems. She makes a thorough research on updates, and then writes quality articles and blogs to keep the readers up-to-date.