The WannaCry Effect: Users Abandon Windows XP En-Masse

Status
Not open for further replies.

Exterminator

Community Manager
Thread author
Verified
Staff Member
Well-known
Oct 23, 2012
12,527
The WannaCry Effect: Users Abandon Windows XP En-Masse

Windows XP was one of the widely-used versions of Microsoft's desktop operating system that were hit by the WannaCry ransomware, and as compared to newer releases, it needed an emergency patch from the parent company to keep systems secure and block infections.

This is because Windows XP no longer receives support since April 2014, and with so many PCs still running it, security experts and Microsoft alike reminded that upgrading to supported Windows is the only way to go to remain secure.

And it turns out that many Windows XP users got the message, as new statistics show that XP's market share collapsed last month, dropping from 7.04 percent to 5.66 percent.

Small decline in the last 10 months
Leaving aside the fact that more than 7 percent of computers were still running Windows XP despite the fact that it hasn't received a single patch in the last 3 years, the 1.38 percent decline is the biggest it experienced in the last 12 months and it needed a fiasco like WannaCry to finally convince users to accelerate upgrade efforts.

Windows XP was running on no less than 10.34 percent of computers in July 2016, so the operating system barely lost 3 percent market share points in approximately 10 months, despite no longer getting patches and security updates. Furthermore, it even increased its share in January when it managed to grow from 9.07 percent the month before to 9.17 percent.

Even though Microsoft rolled out an emergency update to protect Windows XP systems against WannaCry ransomware, this still doesn't mean that this is a secure operating system. All the other vulnerabilities that were discovered before WannaCry are still there and could open systems to additional exploits, and this means that upgrading to supported Windows is indeed the only option.

At this point, the Windows versions that are still getting updates are Windows 7 (whose support ends in January 2020), Windows 8.1 and Windows 10.
 

Quassar

Level 12
Verified
Well-known
Feb 10, 2012
585
hmm hit meaby hit.. but i wonder it can bypas hardered SUA
im sure but most of them pobably was casual kids with admin acc not configured system who enter everywhere and dl you know what :p
 
  • Like
Reactions: ravi prakash saini

ravi prakash saini

Level 13
Verified
Top Poster
Well-known
Apr 22, 2015
636
Microsoft created Wannacry?? ;)
why did wannacry strike after expiry of free up gradation to windows 10 offer.there was a demand and supply principle but now it is supply and create demand.the maximum number of victim are windows 7 user not the windows XP user.
By the way i am suffering of dehydration so my mind is working very sharp
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top