Redmond bets big on government adoption of Windows 10

Feb 11, 2016 09:52 GMT  ·  By

In addition to consumers, who are currently under strong pressure from Microsoft to upgrade to Windows 10, the Redmond-based software giant is also targeting governments around the world with its new operating system.

In a new post today, Microsoft’s Mandy Tidwell, Windows Technology Solution Professional, State & Local Government, explains that Windows 10 offers a very advanced security system to governments, citing the modern approach to user identity, the enhanced protection against malware, and the simplified spyware detection and removal as the main capabilities.

“Windows 10 has been designed to address security threats in a world of escalating risks. As we were building Windows 10, security was a prime focus. And we’ve incorporated several innovative technologies into our new operating system to protect governments against both current and future threats,” Tidwell explains in a post today.

“Windows 10 is our best Windows yet, and the security it provides is no exception. As governments work to keep their information safe, Windows 10 is right there beside them, helping to protect them against the most nefarious threats.”

Russia and China beg to differ

Interestingly, Microsoft’s post on government security comes only a day after news regarding Russia’s initiative to move to Linux made the headlines.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s new Internet advisor is reportedly planning to push for the transition off Windows and move municipal governments to Linux, as they want to have full control of the technologies in use and block any hacking attempts that might be started by overseas states through Microsoft software.

Last year, China decided to ban Windows 8 on government computers, in a similar attempt to switch to Linux. Local officials were said to push for Linux adoption in several state departments, as Windows 8 was believed to be a threat to national security because the United States could have used it to steal documents and country’s secrets.

Right now, Microsoft is trying to fight all this criticism and prove everyone that Windows 10 is the more secure option available right now, and its transparency centers are playing a key role in this. It remains to be seen, however, if this can stop the transition of governments to Linux.