1507 | Windows 10

. Deep Feature: Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) VBS uses hardware virtualization features (like Intel VT-x or AMD-V) to create and isolate a secure region of memory from the normal operating system. This "secure enclave" allows Windows to protect sensitive system processes and data even if the main OS kernel is compromised. Key components introduced or enabled by VBS in version 1507 include: Hypervisor-Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI): This feature runs kernel mode code integrity checks inside the secure VBS environment rather than the main kernel. It ensures that only signed, trusted drivers and system files are loaded, effectively preventing many types of kernel-level malware. Credential Guard: This uses VBS to isolate "secrets," such as NTLM password hashes and Kerberos Ticket Granting Tickets. By moving these to the secure enclave, it prevents "Pass-the-Hash" attacks where attackers steal credentials directly from memory. Secure Enclave Management: Version 1507 introduced the early API support for managing these secure enclaves, such as the

Build 1507 was the starting block for the most successful version of Windows in history. It successfully bridged the gap between the touch-focused Windows 8 and the desktop-centric Windows 7. However, it also taught Microsoft and its users a hard lesson: in the "Windows as a Service" model, the operating system is never static. The days of installing an OS from a disc and using it for ten years were officially over, and Build 1507 was the first casualty of that new philosophy. 1507 windows 10