It’s Time to Kick XP

I’m sitting here looking at a script designed to remove the hooks of a Windows malicious infection on a computer running Windows XP so I can successfully clean the computer of the Trojan and Spyware onslaught it is currently suffering. Yesterday, I spent a couple of hours looking at the same window on a couple of other customer’s computers and the same thing on the day before that. What do they all have in common? They were all running Windows XP. They also all use Microsoft Internet Explorer and they all had up-to-date reliable anti-virus software. They all got infected by simply browsing the web as they always do. Like chain smokers who still think they’re not going to be affected even with all of the knowledge of the detriments of smoking, Windows XP users keep running Windows XP and Internet Explorer. They also get surprised when they get infected and ask, “How could this happen?” and, “This never happened before – what did I do wrong?” Folks, it’s not a matter of if you will get infected while running Windows XP and using Internet Explorer, it’s a matter of when.

There are plenty of reasons that people are still sticking with XP in their businesses. A lot of them really don’t have a choice because the cost of upgrading all of their software is either too expensive in a down economy or the software just hasn’t been written to work on a newer operating system yet. I get that, but at some point you have to move on. Microsoft already ended mainstream support last year for Windows XP, so if you call them about it, it will cost you. They are planning to end support completely in 2014, so after that it will not be patched with security updates at all, and Microsoft will pretend you don’t exist. If you are in a situation where you have been unable to update for similar reasons, you should make it a priority to get the transition done by the end of this year, or come up with an alternative (I consulted with a customer just yesterday who will be changing the program they have been using for over 10 years in favor of one that is more modern and works on newer computers running Windows 7).

For home users, if your computer is able to run Windows 7, (you can follow the instructions here to figure out if your computer is compatible) I think it is quite important to take the steps necessary to upgrade your system in the near future. If you have a computer that is ready to be replaced, please give Apple’s line of Macintosh computers a hard look. To date, there are no malicious infections in the wild that affect Macs. If you’re just using the Internet, checking email, and storing digital photos and home movies, you really can’t get a better computer than a Mac. Otherwise, a Windows 7 based computer is still a good choice. While Windows 7 isn’t rock solid and there are still plenty of security threats that affect it, it‘s a heck of a lot more secure than Windows XP.

If moving away from Windows XP is just not an option for you in the near future, the least you can do to help prevent infections is to make sure you keep your Windows updates current, make sure your anti-virus software is up to date, and for Heaven’s sake, please stop using Internet Explorer for browsing the web. I have been using Mozilla Firefox for years, but it too has fallen victim to malicious attacks as of late and I have found myself using Google’s Chrome browser a lot on my PC’s instead. I could write another article on reasons to stay away from Internet Explorer, but just understand that it is the most popular browser because it comes with every PC and it’s tightly integrated into Windows, and those are two major factors that make it the first point of attack in most malicious infections. Abstinence is the best protection, so stop using Internet Explorer and get one of the better and faster browsers out there.