Microsoft has rolled out the new Windows Resiliency Initiative in an effort to enhance the safety and reliability of the Windows operating system. The decision comes in the wake of a major failure in July, which affected 8.5 million computers and servers running Windows due to issues with Crowdstrike software.
As part of this initiative, Microsoft has introduced a feature called QUCHICM MACH in Recovery, designed to enable system administrators to remotely restore the functioning of computers even if they are unable to boot. This feature will be integrated into an enhanced Windows Recovery Environment.
In addition, Microsoft has implemented stricter requirements for antivirus software vendors participating in the Microsoft Virus Initiative program. These vendors will now be required to conduct more comprehensive testing of their products and ensure secure phased deployment of updates with the ability to monitor and restore systems.
Microsoft is also working on moving antivirus functionality outside the core of the system. A preliminary version of this new framework will be available to Windows security partners by July 2025.
Furthermore, a new administrator protection feature will be introduced in Windows 11, allowing users to temporarily obtain administrator rights for specific tasks after authentication through Windows Hello. These rights will be automatically revoked upon task completion.
To further enhance the security of the Windows operating system, Microsoft is gradually transitioning some functionality from the C++ programming language to Rust, known for its enhanced memory safety features.