"This has been a big concern for folks in terms of data leakage," Boettcher said.

With the CTP, Internet Explorer gets support for international domain names as well as protection from spoofing of these domain names.

Advancements in firewall software include bidirectional filtering. Rules set in the Windows Service Hardening platform are enforced to limit the file, registry, and network access. Advanced IPSec (Internet protocol security) is offered, integrated into a single management console with firewall management.

To improve performance and mobility, a single button is being used as an on/off control while a Windows SuperFetch algorithm caches items used most frequently. USB Flash drive can be used to provide additional memory employed by SuperFetch.

The new user interface in build 5270 features improvements in design elements and some consumer-oriented features. The December CTP includes Windows Media Player 11, featuring improvements to the look and feel.