Windows XP

peter_the_piper

waddler_8 wrote: »

Your computer becomes more susceptible to a malware infection.

So if you have adequate antivirus, malware bytes, spywareblaster, superantispyware, spybot s&d etc , run regularly, you should be OK?

waddler_8

googler wrote: »

Some people will suggest that there are lots of folk out there waiting to release their malware and viruses on day zero + 1, but haven't shown any proof of this.

Show the proof they wont.

NiftyDigits

peter_the_piper wrote: »

So if you have adequate antivirus, malware bytes, spywareblaster, superantispyware, spybot s&d etc , run regularly, you should be OK?

Erm...that's a bit mad isn't it?

Prevention is better than cure.

What arand and model number of machine are you running?

waddler_8

peter_the_piper wrote: »

So if you have adequate antivirus, malware bytes, spywareblaster, superantispyware, spybot s&d etc , run regularly, you should be OK?

No. There's always a small window of time between new malware being released and antivirus companies detecting it.

As an example I recently received, via email, a zbot infection that also installs the Cryptolocker malware. The initial VirusTotal reports showed that ony 2/46 scanners detected it.

Imagine if that came via an XP exploit and you weren't using one of the two that detected it...

scheming_gypsy

googler wrote: »

Your PC works as it did before day zero.

Some people will suggest that there are lots of folk out there waiting to release their malware and viruses on day zero + 1, but haven't shown any proof of this.

I'd pretty much agree with that. XP is fairly old, since then there's been Vista, 7 and 8 so the 'target audience' for XP users to send viruses and malware to, is going to be pretty small.
I really can't see there being too many people / organisations, targeting XP users with their new viruses as most people have already upgraded. They'd be creating viruses / malware for the minority.

bluesnake

wadder_8, one can imagine lots of things. Once can imagine me writing a trojan to take contorol of all the windows 2000, NT4, and BBC B micros out there, then world domination and winning the lottery too!

The way forward for notoriety and wealth tends to be easy access on current technology, in a area that could effect many.

Granted XP could be targeted, and will be in the interest of MS sales scare mongering should it happen.

I would suggest if the person had no specific application needs, on older piece of hardware, then perhaps they should try Zorin - a free linux, debian/ubuntu based, very windows like and friendly.

grumpycrab

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

so the 'target audience' for XP users to send viruses and malware to, is going to be pretty small.

Not around here - lots of oldies (no insult intended) around here still have XP. But with a bit of luck I can sell them something in the next few months;)

scheming_gypsy

yeah but lets be honest. Nobody is interested in their recipes or knitting patterns.

Jivesinger

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

XP is fairly old, since then there's been Vista, 7 and 8 so the 'target audience' for XP users to send viruses and malware to, is going to be pretty small.
I really can't see there being too many people / organisations, targeting XP users with their new viruses as most people have already upgraded. They'd be creating viruses / malware for the minority.

Well a minority perhaps, but apparently it's currently between 20-30% of PCs and Macs worldwide.

From here:
http://www.zdnet.com/how-businesses-can-cope-with-the-looming-windows-xp-deadline-7000021812/

Exactly how many PCs will still be out there running Windows XP next April? Good luck with that forecast. It’s hard enough to get current estimates, with the two most popular sources estimating that XP-powered machines constitute between 20.5 percent (StatCounter) and 31.42 percent (NetMarketShare) of the installed base of PCs and Macs worldwide.

If you were a malware writer, and you knew 20% of computer users were still running an insecure operating system, then that still feels like a big number of potentially easy pickings...

scheming_gypsy

That's 20% of PC's but how many are actually online