Updated Windows 11 now better at defending against attacks

The SMB authentication rate limiter is now enabled by default in the new update


Tech Desk September 23, 2022
Microsoft is out to use Windows software to do for altered reality what it did for personal computers: make them commonplace. PHOTO: AFP

Microsoft's popular operating system, Windows 11, is now better at defending against brute force attacks after the last update. 

The SMB authentication rate limiter is now enabled by default in the new update.

While explaining the new update, the Principal Program Manager at Microsoft said, "SMB server service now defaults to a 2-second default between each failed inbound NTLM authentication. This means if an attacker previously sent 300 brute force attempts per second from a client for 5 minutes (90,000 passwords), the same number of attempts would now take 50 hours at a minimum".

Microsoft has been working on the new update for the last few months. Through the latest update, the goal is to make the system an unattractive target for the attacker.

 

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