Microsoft has stated that it would disable the SMB1 protocol in all editions of Windows 11 in the near future, making file sharing considerably more secure.
For those unfamiliar with the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, it was created by IBM in the 1980s to enable sharing access to files, printers, and other network resources easier. Meanwhile, SMB1 is a variant of the protocol that was also developed by IBM for DOS file sharing.
SMB1 will be deactivated by default for all Windows 11 versions for Windows Insiders on the Dev Channel, according to a recent blog post by Ned Pyle, principal programme manager in the Windows Server engineering group.
This makes sense since, with the introduction of the Fall Creators Update in 2017, Microsoft has released both Windows 10 and Windows Server without SMB1 installed. However, this will now apply to all versions of Windows 11, as the insecure file sharing protocol will be disabled.
Despite the fact that SMB1 is an unsafe protocol, it is nevertheless used on Windows PCs to connect to outdated NAS devices.
While the protocol will no longer be enabled by default in Windows 11, in-place upgrades of workstations where end users are currently utilising SMB1 will not be affected. In a future version, Microsoft intends to delete the SMB1 binaries as well.
To read our blog on “This strange issue prevents Windows 11 updates from being installed,” click here.
