If only Tony was using Windows Vista

News that the computer system at 10 Downing Street was hacked into by Police specialists may leave Tony Blair wishing he had invested in Windows Vista.

According to the Sunday Telegraph, police authorised experts to remotely access emails and documents in the course of the cash-for-honours investigation, prior to the arrest of senior Downing Street advisor Ruth Turner.

If the Prime Minister had been using Windows Vista, the precious information stored on those machines might still be confidential. That’s because new features included in Microsoft’s latest launch - such as Windows Firewall, Windows Defender and updated password controls - are designed to stop such cyber-intrusion.

The Business, Enterprise and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista provide advanced levels of encryption for files on client computers and servers. This means that Downing Street could encrypt their information, ensuring that people hacking into the network cannot access sensitive files.

These features are, of course, provided to stop hackers stealing sensitive information, and not for impeding police investigations. And we should also make it clear that no charges have been brought against Ms Turner (or anyone else) as a result of this ‘virtual raid’.