When it comes to Windows 11, Security is the name of the game. If Windows users care about that we’ll abide by Microsoft’s requirements for Windows 11 and not attempt to bypass them at the risk of slowing down our devices and their becoming less safe. Trying to circumvent those requirements would be like trying to take a Model T Ford out on one of our busy highways. First of all, its top speed would be 40–45 mph (64–72 km/h) and second, those vehicles were not built with seat harnesses, airbags, and brakes that would sufficiently stop a vehicle moving that fast.

To Be Specific:

As discussed over at Lenovo’s Windows 11 Board, there is a reason why a TPM 2.0 is needed for Windows 11 Compatibility. 

Regarding the processor requirement that has disappointed a few folks, upgrading to Windows 11 on a processor that is not supported, most likely will result in a computer’s performing slower than it did on Windows 10. Would you not want to be aware of that before installing a new operating system? During testing, users of Secured-Core PCs running Windows 10 with older processors reported major performance issues by enabling aspects of the Secured-Core PC on those older computers. Microsoft simply wants to move toward better-secured PC’s with the performance that we enjoyed in Windows 10. We can’t blame them for that – unless we don’t care about our security. 

For more information:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/design/minimum/supported/windows-11-supported-intel-processors

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ways-to-install-windows-11-e0edbbfb-cfc5-4011-868b-2ce77ac7c70e

https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-11-Pre-Release-Discussions/Windows-11-Pre-Release-Notes/m-p/5085390

Windows 11 is rolling out and is available on NEW PC’s. 

The free upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 is scheduled to be phased and measured with a focus on quality. By doing this Microsoft makes sure of hardware eligibility, reliability metrics, age of device and other factors that impact the upgrade experience. It is expected that eligible devices will be offered the free upgrade to Windows 11 by mid-2022.

Windows 11 is packed with innovation. The new operating system features a new user interface (UI) design that has been built for simplicity and ease of use.

Users will find new built-in features:

* Windows Store has been rebuilt from the ground up. It has a new fluid UI and a change in some of the policies that determine what type of apps are permitted into the storefront.

* Microsoft Teams is built into Windows 11.

* Windows 11 will be compatible with many Android Apps. 

* Xbox app will also be built into Windows 11. Game Pass subscribers will be able to download from a catalog of games that the service offers, and will be able to stream titles using Xbox cloud gaming. Cross-play between consoles and PCs will also be available.

 * Digital pen allows for creative and personal touches. This assists users in writing and drawing naturally in order to annotate a PDF, website, image, and more.

* Voice typing makes the keyboard optional, allowing work to be transcribed into text easily. 

* Intuitive touch gestures enable fluid workflows. No mouse is necessary. The use of multi-finger gestures will enable quicker navigation.  

* Feature Updates will arrive only once a year, as opposed to twice a year for Windows 10.

For more information on these features and others see: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/06/24/introducing-windows-11/

According to Lenovo Support:

* Windows 11 runs all the same apps as Windows 10

* The default browser is Microsoft Edge. Internet Explorer is not available anymore

* if you have purchased a system with Windows 11 Pro, you can downgrade Windows 11 Pro to Windows 10 Pro (Windows 11 Home is not eligible for such a downgrade)

*If you have purchased a new system which comes with Windows 11 preloaded, for the first time setup, its necessary to have an active internet connection. Also keep in mind that the system will require you to download the latest Windows 11 updates before the initial setup is finished.

*Gaming performance in Windows 11 is about the same as in Windows 10, however, you might see a slight performance drop when it comes to games with older engines due to how the GPU feeds information to the CPU on the new Windows 11 operating system. One of the examples is the popular FPS game CS:GO

– Lenovo Windows 11 Support Center:
https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht512575 

Windows Update will provide an indication if and when a PC is eligible for the upgrade. Users can check their PC’s eligibility by going to Settings/Windows Update.

* After upgrading if you may need to check you system’s drivers and downloads page at Lenovo Support to be sure you have the latest drivers. 

You can also use the updated PC Health Check app to see if your PC can run Windows 11.
For more information please see: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11

Resources

Lenovo Windows 11 Support Center: https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht512575 

Lenovo’s Knowledge Base and Guides: Windows 11 – Lenovo Support US

Check your OEM to see if your device is supported by them.  Here is Lenovo’s List of Supported Devices: If your device is not listed check back later to see if there have been updates. https://support.lenovo.com/solutions/ht512623-lenovo-devices-supported-for-windows-11

The Microsoft September 2021 security updates have been released and consist of 66 CVEs.

3 are rated Critical
62 are rated Important
1 Moderate in severity

Information regarding known issues with the security updates as well as the CVEs with FAQs, Mitigations and/or Workarounds can be viewed here:
https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2021-Sep
In addition the full list of CVEs released by Microsoft for September 2021 can be found here along with other updates: 
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2021/9/14/the-september-2021-security-update-review-kpgpb

Microsoft August 2021 security updates have been released and consist of 44 CVEs.
7 are rated Critical

37 are rated Important
Microsoft reports that two of these bugs are publicly known and one is under active attack at the time of release.
Please use Windows/Automatic Updates to determine which updates are applicable to your particular system.

For more information:
https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/releaseNote/2021-Aug
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2021/8/10/the-august-2021-security-update-review

This article from Microsoft explains:

“…The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a chip that is either integrated into your PC’s motherboard or added separately into the CPU. Its purpose is to help protect encryption keys, user credentials, and other sensitive data behind a hardware barrier so that malware and attackers can’t access or tamper with that data.

PCs of the future need this modern hardware root-of-trust to help protect from both common and sophisticated attacks like ransomware and more sophisticated attacks from nation-states. Requiring the TPM 2.0 elevates the standard for hardware security by requiring that built-in root-of-trust.

TPM 2.0 is a critical building block for providing security with Windows Hello and BitLocker to help customers better protect their identities and data. In addition, for many enterprise customers, TPMs help facilitate Zero Trust security by providing a secure element for attesting to the health of devices….”

Complete article:
https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/06/25/windows-11-enables-security-by-design-from-the-chip-to-the-cloud/

By now everyone has probably heard that Windows 11 is on the way.  Windows 11 is packed with innovation. The new Operating system features a new user interface (UI) design that has been built for simplicity and ease of use.

 Users will find new built-in features as well:

* Windows Store has been rebuilt from the ground up. It has a new fluid UI and a change in some of the policies that determine what type of apps are permitted into the storefront.

* Microsoft Teams is built into Windows 11.

* Windows 11 will be compatible with many Android Apps. 

* Xbox app will also be built into Windows 11. Game Pass subscribers will be able to download from a catalog of games that the service offers, and will be able to stream titles using Xbox cloud gaming. Cross-play between consoles and PCs will also be available.

 * Digital pen allows for creative and personal touches. This assists users in writing and drawing naturally in order to annotate a PDF, website, image, and more.

* Voice typing makes the keyboard optional, allowing work to be transcribed into text easily. 

* Intuitive touch gestures enable fluid workflows. No mouse is necessary. The use of multi-finger gestures will enable quicker navigation.  

* Feature Updates will arrive only once a year, as opposed to twice a year for Windows 10.

 For more information on these features and others see: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/06/24/introducing-windows-11/

 Windows 11 will begin to roll out late in 2021 and continue into 2022. During this time, Lenovo will be testing compatibility of Windows 11 for use on specific PC’s.

Windows Update will also provide an indication if and when a PC is eligible. Users can check their PC’s eligibility by going to Settings/Windows Update.

 Here are the general hardware Specs for Windows 11: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications For those who are eager to know about their PC’s compatibility, Microsoft has provided a Windows PC Health Check Tool in order to see if a PC meets the requirement of Windows 11:  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11#pchealthcheck

 Refer to your OEM’s website for more information specific to your PC.  For Lenovo’s list of FAQ’s and Upgrade Details see:  https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/d/windows-11-upgrade

The Microsoft security updates for May 2021 have been released. They consist of 55 Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs):
 4 are rated Critical
 50 Important
 1 is rated Moderate in severity.

 Although three of the bugs are listed as being publicly known, none are listed as currently being exploited.
For more information please see THE MAY 2021 SECURITY UPDATE REVIEW by Dustin Childs https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/blog/2021/5/11/the-may-2021-security-update-review

The Microsoft April 2021 security updates have been released.
The updates apply to a long list of products listed here: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/en-us/releaseNote/2021-Apr
Of these the latest Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE’s), 19 are rated Critical, 89, and 1 is rated Important in severity. Six additional bugs impact Chromium-based Edge. The updates released today will automatically remove Edge Legacy which is out of support and replace it with the new Chromium-based Edge. In the event you still use legacy Edge or if you have blocked the Chromium Edge update using group policies/registry hacks, those settings will be ignored and the legacy version will be removed automatically.