Among the additions coming to Windows 8 should be an Apple-like file checking system taht would refuse to run files known or suspected to be rogue. Microsoft's SmartScreen, a system first found in Internet Explorer and Windows Live Messenger, will check files for whether they're malware or otherwise illegal and could stop them from running. The method would prevent 'social' viruses, where users ...
Image courtesy of Long Zheng. Note that the "Never run downloaded programs that are unknown to SmartScreen" option is not enabled by default. Link Removed is a dynamically-updated service from Microsoft that rates phishing, malware and other sites and the files that come from them. Files are tracked by hashes and, if available, digital certificates.