No Fear

[curtklay]

In the past couple weeks, I have been to my local immigration office, Ram Hospital, and Kasikorn Bank, and noticed that all of them are still using Windows XP on their computers. It seems odd that large organizations such as these don't seem to be afraid of all the potential disaster we were warned about. If they aren't concerned, why should the home user be?

Has anyone actually heard of anyone experiencing problems using XP since Microsoft dropped support? Or was it all just a load of bull to sell new software and computers?

[stoneyboy]

No but they still use ice instead of refrigerators as a matter of point.

[RichCor]

You can run any OS you like if you're on an isolated network.

I think you need to qualify your method of evaluating potential disaster.

edit: I have a credit card that will crash most ATMs running embedded Windows XP

Edited September 19, 2015 by RichCor

[NeverSure]

A lot of hackers do it for the challenge. Sometimes all they do is try to leave you a message on your desktop, etc.

IMHO as XP becomes less relevant hackers will lose interest and go after Win 10 for the challenge. XP is patched up until they stopped patching it, LOL.

You really can't be hacked on a home network if you're behind a router. All they can see from the internet is your router and it's the computer they have to tackle. It's a great firewall by itself.

What they still can do is try to trick you into clicking on something such as an email attachment or link or dodgy website which has always been risky. When you do that you are requesting something and the internet and your router will return what you requested. With a great deal of luck your malware programs may catch it but if not... So the same ole rules apply for smart internet use.

[Chicog]

Just utter stupidity if you ask me.

[cyberfarang]

I am still using Windows XP with no problems and will cling onto it until forced to move on to another versions of windows.

My local bank are still using typewriters, it`s like a technological museum in there.

[Bench499d]

You really can't be hacked on a home network if you're behind a router. All they can see from the internet is your router and it's the computer they have to tackle. It's a great firewall by itself.

Can't you? What about vulnerabilities in the browser which can be exploited? Particularly those which have been patched for other versions of Windows so all the information on the exploit is well known. You only have to visit a website which contains a script designed to exploit that vulnerability.

However having said that in my experience cleaning peoples' PCs of malware, it's illegal file sharing which is the biggest source of malware problems for users.

Oh and by the way there are vulnerabilities discovered in firewalls and routers from time to time that can be exploited.

[Chicog]

You really can't be hacked on a home network if you're behind a router. All they can see from the internet is your router and it's the computer they have to tackle. It's a great firewall by itself.

Can't you? What about vulnerabilities in the browser which can be exploited? Particularly those which have been patched for other versions of Windows so all the information on the exploit is well known. You only have to visit a website which contains a script designed to exploit that vulnerability.

However having said that in my experience cleaning peoples' PCs of malware, it's illegal file sharing which is the biggest source of malware problems for users.

Oh and by the way there are vulnerabilities discovered in firewalls and routers from time to time that can be exploited.

And exploited incredibly easily, giving full access to the network they supposedly protect.

[Pib]

Windows security patches/updates are issued for a reason--patch security holes.

XP is not getting security patches anymore expect for those businesses/govt agencies that signed up for/paying for extended support and those systems running Embedded XP. Other XP users, such as home users, are now using an OS that surely has some security holes materialize since the last XP security update was issued in Apr 14 for those folks not on extended support/using Embedded XP.

With "every Windows OS, be it XP, Vista, Win 7, Win 8.X, or Win 10, security updates/patches has always been a common event...the bad guys are always figuring out new ways to exploit a system...then the good guys need to shutdown that exploit with a security update/patch. For the home user of XP, they no longer have the good guys looking after them.

[cyberfarang]

You really can't be hacked on a home network if you're behind a router. All they can see from the internet is your router and it's the computer they have to tackle. It's a great firewall by itself.

Can't you? What about vulnerabilities in the browser which can be exploited? Particularly those which have been patched for other versions of Windows so all the information on the exploit is well known. You only have to visit a website which contains a script designed to exploit that vulnerability.

However having said that in my experience cleaning peoples' PCs of malware, it's illegal file sharing which is the biggest source of malware problems for users.

Oh and by the way there are vulnerabilities discovered in firewalls and routers from time to time that can be exploited.

There are many ways to obtain viruses and spywares onto a computer. Memory sticks, porn sites, music and film download sites and received email attachments.

Most importantly is securing my online banking and email passwords.

Being a frithty, mean old sod, I keep strict records of my finances and only need to log in to my online banking accounts on rare occasions when necessary, never saving the passwords to my hard drive and not remembering the passwords in my browsers.

I have several free anti spy wares and anti virus checkers installed on my computer, including (that I strongly recommend) is the version 1.36 Keylogger Detector software (that is not a freebie). Each time I decide to log in to my online banking I first do a full spyware and virus scan of my hard drive and also check for any suspicious looking files and programmes. Each day I scan the computer for key loggers with my software that only takes a few seconds.

Also have the Macrium Reflect free programme, which means I can back up everything on my computer, save it in my external hard drive and if crunch comes to the crunch, able to reinstall everything back onto my computer without the need to do a reformat.

It`s only a matter of organisation and keeping the computer maintained at regular intervals and need not cost a brass cent.

[BuaBS]

You really can't be hacked on a home network if you're behind a router. All they can see from the internet is your router and it's the computer they have to tackle. It's a great firewall by itself.

Can't you? What about vulnerabilities in the browser which can be exploited? Particularly those which have been patched for other versions of Windows so all the information on the exploit is well known. You only have to visit a website which contains a script designed to exploit that vulnerability.

However having said that in my experience cleaning peoples' PCs of malware, it's illegal file sharing which is the biggest source of malware problems for users.

Oh and by the way there are vulnerabilities discovered in firewalls and routers from time to time that can be exploited.

You mean torrents ? Only shared programs could be a risk , if you don't know the uploader, the rest is just fine.

Clearly I have to keep repeating it here : 9,5 years on XP SP2 , not updated since 2010 . Surf and download a lot , even in "dirty" places : no problem at all !!

I surf with Firefox 19.0.2 , the last good one : no problem. I don't do internet banking nor open email attachments. So for computers with no internet connection , you're 100 % safe . If you add some updated scanners , no problems on the net. For the rest : Backups & encryption !

And microsoft doesn't know everything about me....

[DogNo1]

There are hordes of phishing scammers these days. Just click on a link in their phishing message and your security is toast!