A tweet by @SecuriTay brought to light a change in Microsoft Windows 10 Pro that has some people concerned. Specifically, After upgrading to Windows 10 Pro version 1511, users have found that they now lack the ability to block the use of Windows Store.
Microsoft retroactively removes ability of companies to turn off Windows Store in Pro version of Windows 10 https://t.co/45k4NA0aoI
— SwiftOnSecurity (@SwiftOnSecurity) May 3, 2016
As it turns out, the change only applies Windows 10 Pro, and the ability to lock down the Windows Store is now a feature that’s reserved solely for the Windows 10 Enterprise and Education editions. According to Zdnet.com, a Microsoft spokesperson made an official statement confirming the change:
Microsoft is focused on helping enterprises manage their environment while giving people choice in the apps and devices they use to be productive across work and life. Windows 10 Enterprise is our offering that provides IT pros with the most granular control over company devices. Windows 10 Pro offers a subset of those capabilities and is recommended for small and mid-size businesses looking for some management controls, but not the full suite necessary for IT pros at larger enterprises.The ability to block access to the Windows Store is typically for organizations who want more control over corporate-owned devices. This fits into the value of Windows 10 Enterprise.
The update had been available since November of last year, however, the common misconception was that it was a bug. Thanks to the Microsoft support page revised earlier this year, we now know that the behavior is “by design.”
