Microsoft has decided to ship or roll out Windows 11 with a setting that is important from a security perspective but could negatively impact gaming performance. Gamers may be able to switch off the Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) to improve performance, but shouldn’t do so.
Windows 11 as an operating system is far more stringent on security than any of the previous iterations. However, such policies have generally been detrimental to gaming.
Windows 11 meant for businesses and professionals but gamers are being sidelined?
Windows 11 is not like Windows 10. This time, Microsoft is not budging on the System Requirements the OS needs to run securely. Aspects such as Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are mandatory.
Back when Microsoft was promoting Windows 10, the company claimed it optimized the OS for gaming. However, Windows 11 seems to be taking a different approach.
Microsoft VBS (Virtualization-based Security) apparently cripples gaming performance in Windows 11 even on supported CPUs via /r/technology https://t.co/okseQSYoqI
— Alexa 🌊✊🏽 (@alexa__jay) October 2, 2021
Microsoft seems to be positioning the successor of Windows 10 as a robust, reliable, and secure OS. Windows 11 seems to be meant for professionals and businesses who want a safe and secure environment to conduct their work. However, gamers seem to be getting the short end of the stick.
Several of the security measures inside Windows 11 could have a negative impact on gaming performance. One such aspect is Virtualization-Based Security (VBS).
Dear #Infosec gamers:
Can PC gamers disable Virtualization-Based-Security (VBS) in Windows 11?
Or is it a feature most ppl should keep on?
Apparently VBS dings performance by around 25%https://t.co/hQKgyAzakQ
— Sam Houston (@samhouston) October 1, 2021
Microsoft explains the features: “VBS uses hardware virtualization features to create and isolate a secure region of memory from the normal operating system. Windows can use this ‘virtual secure mode’ to host a number of security solutions, providing them with greatly increased protection from vulnerabilities in the operating system, and preventing the use of malicious exploits which attempt to defeat protections.”
Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) can negatively impact gaming performance in Windows 11 by up to 28 percent?
Enterprise customers will obviously welcome the VBS feature. It basically creates an isolated subsystem that helps prevent malware from wreaking havoc.
Interestingly, this feature could also address a growing issue within the corporate environment. Malicious software creators are actively running Malware and Ransomware services.
How to activate virtualization-based security and core isolation in Windows 10 https://t.co/0Ghe9doP0P pic.twitter.com/3sVf1mR7Mc
— TechRepublic (@TechRepublic) October 1, 2021
Affiliates attempt to compromise the security of a single computer and then move in deeper within a secure network. VBS can help in stemming such a type of attack, called ‘Lateral Movement Attack’.
While great for security, VBS could reportedly have a significantly negative impact on gaming performance. Experts tested gaming performance with VBS turned off and then on.
Virtualization-based Security (VBS) Benchmark under Windows 10 / 11
Article:https://t.co/50racgSBBb pic.twitter.com/haZVGNWPsf
— CK's Technology News (@CKsTechNews) October 1, 2021
Needless to mention, there was some loss of performance in the majority of games. However, a Windows 11 PC suffered from VBS while gamers played a few demanding game titles such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
As recent developments have indicated, determined gamers could bypass multiple system requirements, including Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0. In the same way, gamers could also switch off VBS using a Registry Editor hack. However, several security experts have routinely warned about not messing with such security-related aspects.