Event banner
Event details
The line is drawn because Gen 8/Zen 2 (technically Gen 7 too) are the first processors to support http://borec.ch/the-potential-performance-impact-of-device-guard-hvci/, a hardware feature to speed up HVCI, a security feature used for kernel driver validation and for some enterprise security features such as WDAG/Device Guard and force-enabled on Windows 11.
Without MBEC on the processor, HVCI is much slower and somewhat cripples the CPU, therefore the "experience" argument from Microsoft.
Opinion: Microsoft have been shady about this from the very start, with no official explanation and false arguments (no, Secure Boot, VBS and HVCI enabled but unconfigured will not stop https://www.microsoft.com/security/blog/2021/01/11/new-surface-pcs-enable-virtualization-based-security-vbs-by-default-to-empower-customers-to-do-more-securely/).
I think HVCI in isolation is useless for consumers and small businesses alike as malicious kernel drivers or Mimikatz usage is not going to be the primary focus for attackers when the user is local admin already.
- Also wasn't Windows 10 meant to be the last version of Windows? Did something change there? 🤔
That was always an urban legend - one engineer overspoke to a journalist and it blew up from there.
We've always known that Windows 10 would only be supported for 10 years, https://web.archive.org/web/20150728070925/http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/lifecycle at the RTM release of Windows 10 1507 showing the 2025 support end date.
- Joe_Lurie
Microsoft
Thanks, Kasper, for not making me say that again. 🙂
But to answer Dasein's question, yes something changed. Over the past 6 years, technology has evolved, the need for more security became increasingly necessary (see new hardware requirements), and the need for users to be more productive on their devices - and to keep in touch with loved ones (see consumer version of Teams built-in), the need for users to have a softer experience (see this article: and specifically this quote: The new sounds have a much rounder wavelength, making them softer so that they can still alert/notify you, but without being overwhelming... so yes, lots has changed.In 2015 we shared our plans to deliver Windows as a service to bring new innovations and
updates in an ongoing manner with continuous value for customers. This commitment
remains – Windows was never meant to be stagnant. We will continue to deliver innovative
experiences that empower people.
