Images: Security tweaks in Vista

With the release of Windows Vista RC2 build 5744, Microsoft hopes the operating system is good enough to hand over to hardware manufacturers by the end of November. (Read the CNET Review of the version here.)

Security vendors Symantec and McAfee have asked that Microsoft allow then to turn off the Security Center within Windows Vista and replace it with their own. The Security Center tool reports on the “health” of a PC–how up-to-date its antivirus is, for example.

However, a curious new feature within RC2 allows the PC user to suppress the Microsoft Security Alerts, such as alerts informing you that your antivirus signature files are out of date. Third-party software often issues its own alerts on top of Microsoft’s own alert, potentially creating confusion for the PC owner.