Windows XP Has Twice the Infections of Windows 7

By Wolfgang Gruener
published

Microsoft released the latest edition of its Security Intelligence Report (SIR), which covers malware trends for the first half of this year.

According to the statistics (opens in new tab) released, Windows XP computers showed nearly twice the infection rate of Windows 7 systems. Of every 1,000 computers scanned, 9.5 XP computers with SP3 revealed a malware infection, while the number dropped to 4.9 and 5.1 for Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), 5.3 and 4.3 for Windows 7 RTM, and 4.9 and 3.1 for Windows 7 SP1. The data also revealed an increased infection rate for Windows XP and Windows 7, Windows Vista with SP2 is declining and actually shows lower infection rates than Windows 7.

According to the latest SIR, the most common malware on Windows computers was the worm Win32/Autorun with a share of 11.3 percent in the first half of the year, followed by JS/Pornpo Adware (8.0 percent), Win32/Obfuscator (7.3 percent), the Balcole exploit (6.2 percent), and the Win32/Dorkbot Worm (6.3 percent).

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Wolfgang Gruener
37 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Pinhedd
    9.5 is a little over three times 3.1
    Reply
  • Parsian
    why do i get the sense that a bunch of dumb**** did this study? I smells flawed methodology
    Reply
  • That's funny cause my XP machine is clean, but my GF's Vista laptop on the latest scan came up with 1 hit. Her son's Windows 7 SP1 desktop? 13 separate hits.

    If anything, this study (to me) shows that there are 2x more XP users than Windows 7 users out there based on the infection rates.
    Reply
  • luciferano
    XP is more than ten years old and most computers running it simply don't have modern malware protection (if any at all) and most users who know what they're doing are using something newer.
    Reply
  • Northwestern
    This isn't surprising. Windows XP is 11 years old compared to the 6 year old Windows Vista and 3 year old Windows 7. After XP had to lead Windows through the second half of the last decade due to Vista's complications, it was continued to be targeted by malware.

    This will quickly drop as Windows 7 is finally overtaking the aging XP. R.I.P. One of the best Windows OSes.
    Reply
  • tripledouce
    Windows XP is no longer supported by microsoft, so of course the rates will be high. There are no longer patches to fix new found security flaws. Also with it still being the second most used OS on PC's there are still a lot hackers who will devote the time to finding those weaknesses to exploit the user.
    Reply
  • computernerdforlife
    F**ktard math detected. Flawed logic = stupid information. Please rewrite this article as a whole, please and thank you. Good day.
    Reply
  • puddleglum
    It is surprizing that XP has only 2X the infection rate of 7. I figured it would have been a lot higher.
    Reply
  • "There are no longer patches to fix new found security flaws"

    - smoke much crack lately? I just updated my XP yesterday with security fixes that MS released on Tuesday

    "XP is more than ten years old and most computers running it simply don't have modern malware protection (if any at all)"

    - Funny, my Antivirus on XP updated its definition this morning (as it does everyday).

    you guys are a bunch of BS'ers to the max
    Reply
  • dribblesbarbax
    Or people are twice as smart to not visit certain websites and not open suspicious email attachments.
    Reply