Windows 11 gets serious: explicit permissions and a default security mode to protect your privacy

Microsoft plans to bring to Windows 11 an idea that phone users know well: pop-up windows that ask for permission before an application access sensitive resources such as the file system, camera or microphone. This proposal is part of a major change in the security and privacy model of the operating system that the company presents as a response to applications that, according to Microsoft, have ended up modifying system behaviors or installing software without the clear consent of the user.

In Microsoft's official release on these changes - under the label "User Transparency and Consent" and the so-called "Windows Baseline Security Mode" - the company explains that it wants to offer users the same visibility and control that is now defined on mobile platforms. You can read the full note on the Windows blog: Strengthening Windows: Trust and Security through User Transparency and Consent.

In practice, this means that when running an application that tries to read personal folders, use camera or microphone, or even install potentially unwanted components, Windows will show a clear request for the user to accept or deny such access. If the permit is granted by mistake, the user will be able to revoke it later from the system configuration, similar to how the permissions are managed on Android or iOS today.

Another key part of the initiative is the so-called Baseline Security Mode, which will enable by default integrity safeguards in execution time. With this, Windows aims to ensure that only properly signed services, drivers and applications can be run, although Microsoft emphasizes that both advanced users and IT administrators can create exceptions when a legitimate application needs to temporarily skip some restriction.

These measures come in a context of formal criticism of the company's safety culture. Following the incidents affecting cloud services and the analysis of the U.S. Department of National Security Cyber Safety Review Board, Microsoft launched initiatives to strengthen practices and processes. The CSRB report that evaluated the summer incident of 2023 is available on the CISA site: CSRB Review of the Summer 2023 MEO intrusion. That context explains why Microsoft now places transparency and user control as priorities.

The company ensures that the deployment will be progressive and done in collaboration with developers, companies and other ecosystem partners, to adjust the behavior of the warnings and exceptions according to the feedback received. That is, it will not be a sudden change overnight, but a phased implementation. designed to minimize operational and compatibility impacts.

What does this mean for users and administrators? For the domestic user, the promise is clear: greater control and visibility over which applications touch your data or the peripherals of the equipment. For business managers and IT managers, the arrival of default restrictions means that they will have to test workflows, validate digital application signatures and prepare exception policies for legacy or organization-specific software. The good news is that Microsoft provides for mechanisms to allow such overrides, but that will require prior work of compatibility and testing.

From the developer's point of view, these developments involve the need to adopt more demanding code signing practices and to design applications to apply for permits explicitly and justifiably. They will also enhance the adoption of modern standards of authenticity and transparent telemetry, because applications and IA agents will have to meet higher standards of transparency and explain their behaviour to both users and administrators.

If you are looking to manage the permissions on your Windows computer today, Microsoft maintains documentation and controls for privacy and permissions that should be reviewed before and after these changes. A useful reference is the Microsoft privacy page on Windows: Windows privacy documentation (Microsoft Learn), where it explains how to view and modify access to camera applications, microphone, files and other resources.

Not everything is automatic: this transition will bring friction in corporate environments and for old software. Applications that today work without warnings may require reconfiguration or up-to-date signatures. That is why Microsoft has emphasized the need to work "in close collaboration" with developers and companies during the deployment phase, and has pointed out that policies and the pace of implementation can be adjusted according to the experience collected.

Overall, the bet is ambitious: to bring to the desktop the philosophy of permissions and transparency that has matured in mobile and that, in theory, reduces the surface of attack and the possibility of undesired actions by applications. If applied well, can mean a real improvement in personal data protection and user confidence. If applied without proper coordination with companies and software providers, the risk will be to generate interruptions and an extra management burden for managers.

Whatever the result, the message is clear: Microsoft wants Windows to be an environment where the user better understands what access to your data and where applications cannot act in a sharp way. To follow the evolution and technical details of the deployment, it is appropriate to read the updates on the Windows blog and official documentation as new phases are announced.