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General discussion

Poll: Does the vulnerability in unsupported XP scare you?

Apr 9, 2014 6:52AM PDT

Discussion is locked

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Not at all
Apr 9, 2014 7:49AM PDT

We still have XP on a laptop and netbook but Win7 on the main devices. The XP devices get only occasional use but are still important for some purposes. There's no sense in letting a few hackers out there ruin an OS that has been, for us, reliable.

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Still running XP!
Apr 10, 2014 9:26AM PDT

I'm running Windows XP on my Work laptop right now. I'll more then likely be running it for a few more years!!!

I will say I uninstalled Microsoft Security Essentials and replaced it with a 3rd party Virus Checking software that is stiff supporting Windows XP. I also don't use Internet Explorer, not only that it run very slow, but it could cause security issues, so I'm using Google Chrome. Much faster and security issues get fixed and it's also still supported for XP!!! It also ties into my Web browser for any security issues.

I'm not worried about Windows XP issues at all. I'm not the only one running WIndows XP here at work either. I've taken care of the few other systems also running XP still. I hate Windows 8. No one here wants Windows 8. Not even Windows 8.1. The newest thing here is the new Server with Windows Server 2012R2 installed.

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Yes, it scares me ...
Apr 11, 2014 12:39AM PDT

If you have an old XP box, go look at the list of updates that have been applied through the years.

Mostly, it's "security, security, security ..." one after the other.

What happens is that people in the field discover a "hole" in XP and Microsoft plugs it.

Microsoft has done a pretty good job of plugging the holes AFTER they have been found.

As XP ages past Microsoft's updates (April Cool, additional exploits will be discovered and Microsoft will not be plugging those holes.

People who write malicious code for reasons of financial gain or pure vandalism will be publishing malware in hopes that many people have not moved off the XP boxes.

That's the part that scares me.

I have XP computers at work that are behind strong firewalls. I have disallowed RDP, FTP, Telnet, SMTP, etc. so that these computers are hard to crack.

While I will keep the XP boxes for a while, I have already migrated to Windows 7.

Having gone through this with Windows 98, I predict that Internet Explorer 8 will not work well at all pretty soon. Web sites continually update their code, but Microsoft will not be patching IE8 or providing an updated browser.

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not even a little
Apr 9, 2014 8:24AM PDT

I have however, been a little ticked about all the scare crap in the media
its Y2K all over again. the world may be coming to an end - just not
today nor by ms's non support of XP.
I wont miss the updates ! hahahaha I havent been to that site for that
purpose in better than 5 years. dont need the added bloatware and
changes that come with them.
last time I was there was when I registered w7. and then after I upgraded
my mobo/video - and was shut down - and they wanted another $200 - I swore never again.
when I get more done with my remodeling and jump back into makeing
my "office" actually look usable to a human hahaha I will be looking at
Ubuntu !

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As Dr. Van Helsing Once Said...
Apr 9, 2014 9:49PM PDT

..."The danger of the vampire is that people DON'T believe in him."

No, the sky will not fall and the world will not end. You will merely be running a computer that is insanely vulnerable to malware about which there will be nothing you can do. Your emotional attachment to ancient XP will be a danger to you, and that's fine, but it will also be a danger to others, which isn't.

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No need to worry ... Yet
Apr 9, 2014 8:28AM PDT

Hackers are not going to suddenly jump on XP because of an end to Microsoft support. The OS is no less secure today than it was yesterday or will be next week or next month. I don't know how often Microsoft sends out updates but even so, it could be some considerable time before another update might have been necessary. I think hackers already know as much as they will ever need to know about XP weaknesses so nothing has really changed.

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HAH!
Apr 9, 2014 10:56AM PDT

If you don't think hacker's aren't going to be jumping all over this You're Nut's! There's nothing but rewards waiting for those who can now exploit the weaknesses that are ripe for the picking . We're going to be hearing more and more now about how this was hacked or that was hacked and folks are gonna be asking in this forum what to do . It may not happen over night but, it's gonna happen so, be ready for it.

We Have Been Warned for a long time now. No Whining Allowed When It Happens.

Digger

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My worry is average Joe and Jane when they get Conduit.
Apr 9, 2014 9:39AM PDT

Read http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/522327/uninstalling-conduit-searchprotect-deletes-ntldr-making-windows-xp-unbootable/

"Uninstalling Conduit SearchProtect deletes NTLDR making Windows XP Unbootable"

While the article shows a way to bring XP back, most folk can't do the work. With repair rates hitting what you can pick up a ChromeBook for today, I think this is an area Microsoft dropped the ball as well as all the major AntiVirus makers.

Not one blocked Conduit. They may have warned but not one blocked it so far (I hope folk report that some antivirus is blocking this one.)

So here's an unpatched issue/vulnerability that will break a lot of XP machines.
Bob

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Conduit
Apr 9, 2014 10:32AM PDT

I remember seeing this when running a check on my drivers and went to update one.
the pgm that does the download/install goes thru the usual crap of (already checked) search
pgms and other task bar etc stuff it tries to load - like about 4 of them. this search was
among them. I always uncheck all that junk and not allow them. whew ! Happy))
so there are a lot that dont read all the things they want to sneak on your system.

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Non support of XP
Apr 9, 2014 3:19PM PDT

This is another way Microsoft will "force feed" the consumer/business owner into buying the "NEW & IMPROVED" OS. These tactics have been employed by Microsoft (since its inception) and Apple is using the same strategy to "force" the consumer to buy the latest of what is developed. The reason these tactics succeed is because Microsoft & Apple have no viable competition to challenge them in the PC & MAC arenas. They are the leaders and no other companies have formed to knock them off their block. I think the reason why no other companies have formed is because "the eggheads" who could run such a company probably worked for Microsoft or Apple and had to sign "No-compete" contracts/agreements. This in turn limits the competition from usurping or toppling these establishments overnight - because they know they would feel a major pinch, if a new player comes to town - and its a former "employee".
Today. Most XP users have been functioning in a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it " world. And like a forum member stated " He hadn't received an update from Microsoft in years and is okay with the way his OS is running.
As a user, I never liked the constant bombardment of potential threats that ended up being "bugs" that could be fixed with less hastiness from the developer to introduce it to the market.
As we speak, there are problems with Win 7 & 8.
Hackers will be hackers. They get high on conquering and move on to the next challenge.

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XP the best OS beside Win95, WIN 3.11, Win 2000, etc...
Apr 9, 2014 3:23PM PDT

This is another way Microsoft will "force feed" the consumer/business owner into buying the "NEW & IMPROVED" OS. These tactics have been employed by Microsoft (since its inception) and Apple is using the same strategy to "force" the consumer to buy the latest of what is developed. The reason these tactics succeed is because Microsoft & Apple have no viable competition to challenge them in the PC & MAC arenas. They are the leaders and no other companies have formed to knock them off their block. I think the reason why no other companies have formed is because "the eggheads" who could run such a company probably worked for Microsoft or Apple and had to sign "No-compete" contracts/agreements. This in turn limits the competition from usurping or toppling these establishments overnight - because they know they would feel a major pinch, if a new player comes to town - and its a former "employee".
Today. Most XP users have been functioning in a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it " world. And like a forum member stated " He hadn't received an update from Microsoft in years and is okay with the way his OS is running.
As a user, I never liked the constant bombardment of potential threats that ended up being "bugs" that could be fixed with less hastiness from the developer to introduce it to the market.
As we speak, there are problems with Win 7 & 8.
Hackers will be hackers. They get high on conquering and move on to the next challenge.

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XP is more safe than Win8
Apr 9, 2014 4:47PM PDT

As long as You don't use Microsofts 'security'-programs You are quite ok. Windows is an OS, not a security system. Any third party firewall and AV will keep XP safe for years to come. I left security to the security software experts a decade ago and haven't had ANY problems in all this time.

In fact; XP is a mature and well patched OS after 10+ years. What is there to hack anymore and why? They don't keep on writing viruses for DOS or Win3; what would be the point? Hackers have moved on to Win7 and 8, because they are still full of yet to be discovered easily hacked vulnerabilities.

It's already the tenth, and my XP computer hasn't 'blown up' yet. Having been in the computer business and programming for three decades I also know it won't. It's safer than ever, and will continue to be so as long as there are any third party securitysoftware. I.e. at least another decade or so. All these scaretactics only annoy me; 'You may be vulnerable', 'You may have problems with XP'. You may also get hit by an asteroid or get struck by lightning. Regardsless if You use Win8 or XP.

XP also has the largest support of software and hardware of any OS, so no worries there either.

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Re: support
Apr 9, 2014 6:58PM PDT

I'm afraid you'll find more and more laptops, motherboards and peripherals that don't come with Windows XP drivers. That's the reverse of old gear (like my Canon Lide 30 scanner) not having Windows 8 drivers. That's one of the reasons I keep my old XP system running: being able to scan.
It's safe to say that all currently sold hardware supports Windows 8. And probably less than 60% supports XP, and that will keep declining.

Same for software. For example, I read that Avira anti-virus will end support for XP in 2015.

The "largest support of software and hardware" for current stuff certainly is offered by Windows 8, certainly not by Windows XP. That should be reason to worry for some.

Kees

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Its a hoax
Apr 9, 2014 6:34PM PDT

I think all this about the vulnerability of Win XP disqualifies Microsoft. Its a big hoax. As some other members say: its not more vulnerability than yesterday. When I boot my XP laptop I get all kind of warnings I did not ask for: Thank you Microsoft for nothing. If you keep your XP machine clean an free of malware and so there is not much to worry about. Of course in a year or so there may be some hackers that made some time free to do some investigation. So be alert is a good thing and with other versions of Windows you have to be alert too anyway, they are not safe either. Microsoft does not sell Win8 as they like to sell it and this WinXP hoax the last action of Microsoft to get the sale of Win8 running. I am sorry for all these people that change to Win8 and think its safer. Its NOT. And Win8 is on all other issues a total falure.

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Re: hoax
Apr 9, 2014 6:47PM PDT

The Microsoft policy is to end support of an OS 5 years after they released the successor. So support for XP ended - according to that policy - in January 2012 (Vista was released in January 2007). They gave everybody a grace period of more than 2 years already, which is fine.

That policy is well-known and dates from far before they even thought about Windows 8. So I fail to see how it is related to a decline in sales of new PC's with Windows 8.

Do you still expect your garage to support your 1925 T-Ford? Or is it real to say that only some enthousiasts still use that and have to take care of support themselves, without blaming Ford?

Kees

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here is the proof
Apr 15, 2014 6:33PM PDT
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It scares me "a little."
Apr 9, 2014 10:16PM PDT

I moved off XP long ago, when everyone should've when the unjustly maligned Vista was released. As the former Internet Services Administrator for a Federal agency renowned for its technological prowess, I have learned the value of moving off obsolete systems. I like to keep my computers up-to-date.

Going back to an XP now, after so long running Vista, 7 and 8, is like back in the heyday of XP and having to go back to using a machine running Windows 3. Its clunkiness and comparative inelegance is so pronounced as to be really annoying.

XP is an inherently vulnerable operating system that has kept Microsoft's engineers working feverishly throughout its life playing a game of "Wack-a-Mole" with an endless string of vulnerabilities. The exploits of these vulnerabilities will proceed apace, but patches to block them will no longer be delivered to users. Those who cling to XP will soon be completely bereft of any protection against newly launched exploits, and the remaining size of XP's installed base ensures that such exploits will continue to be launched.

This might be fine if you don't communicate with others, but your machine will become a vector threatening the more modern computers of those who trust you. You will become a danger both to yourself and to others, others whose only lapse of judgment was in trusting you.

I still have an XP machine, an old laptop, and I installed the final patches yesterday. I never use it for anything except keeping it updated and have kept it only for sentimental reasons (it got me through the darkest period of my life in 2005, where my deeply beloved only daughter lay for months dying in an intensive care hospital ward after open heart surgery and an ensuing pulmonary infection where she sank so far down that she was given last rites, only to rally and now she is fine, healthy and happy). It's only running XP because it's too primitive to run any more modern MS O/S, but before the month is out I shall convert it into a Linux box and that might even enhance its functionality to the point at which it can again perform productive work.

But Microsoft's continued support for XP has been an absolute disaster for computer manufacturers, and for themselves as well. Both the IT and the business press have bemoaned the slump in new PC sales, and the continued support for the long-obsolete Microsoft XP is largely to blame for this phenomenon, permitting people to keep running their old PCs, instead of buying new ones, to the point at which the landscape looks similar to the automotive landscape in Havana. XP is like a bad penny and, as students of Macroeconomics are well aware, "Bad money drives out good."

Isn't the PC industry something you WANT to succeed? I know I do.

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I moved off XP this past year
Apr 10, 2014 10:42PM PDT

but after disappointment with Vista, I changed over to Linux, specifically Kubuntu and Mint versions. Right now I'm using Mint 16 MATE desktop version with Firefox 28 to post this. Since I'm not a gamer, the main drawback on Linux Mint is the graphical file and folder search functions aren't as good as windows, and who really wants to go back to using the "Find" command in a terminal "DOS like" program? There are some extra seach programs that can be added from packages or repositories like text searching in files instead of just file and folder names. Getting regular updates is as easy, maybe easier, than with XP. Never losing "Activation" and "Genuine Advantage" causing things to lock up is a HUGE advantage, especially if changing some hardware for the computer. No more jumping through hoops with phone call for number strings, no product keys, it's back as stable as Windows 2000 always was before that crap was tacked onto windows. I put W7 on my wife's computer, but don't see me going back to any Windows operating system in the near future. Except for using XP for older tax document reviews and stock broker software at times, I have all I need now with the newest highly graphical versions of Linux available for free today. I just upgraded my Linux Mint 14 to version 16 this week and it went smoother and quicker than any windows upgrade I've ever done. I had a choice of in place upgrade (apt distro upgrade) or a clean install with adding my home folder back to it afterward (similar to My Documents folder in Windows). I opted for the clean install, added the home folder back, changed the ownership of home folder contents to my new username I also changed and all is working great. Unlike Windows installation disc, my Linux distro disc is a LIVE DVD and will run a fully functional system direct from booting from DVD drive, just have to save files to another media. So, if an upgrade gives me problems, I can still access the entire computer with a working system till things are fixed on the install. Windows install disc will not do that for you, they are not LIVE.

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NO!!!
Apr 10, 2014 4:34PM PDT

I have been a Windows 7 Ultimate user since 2011. I only use XP Mode to support some of my more stubborn clients, and I don't use it on the web. Why would I, I have a perfectly good operating system In Windows 7, to use on the web. Besides, I already have Windows 8,1 in an Oracle VM VirtualBox. If one were to use the term, I'm loaded for bear. And with my matching 1TB external hard drives, I'm also loaded for Tasmanian Devil. Nobody messes with Mr. Windows.
Regards,
Mr. Windows