Outdated Operating System - a Security Risk | Total Security Software

A good year after the release of Windows 10, users of the older Windows versions 7 and 8 were able to perform a free upgrade. A very good thing, because an outdated operating system is always a major security risk! Nevertheless: There are still a large number of computers that use an outdated operating system - not only in private but also in business. In today's article, we will shed light on what this means for

Outdated Operating System: Analysis of IT Security

The security specialist Kaspersky has evaluated anonymous data on operating system users that the company had collected from participants in the Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) after their consent. The study showed that both companies and private individuals often work with outdated Windows operating systems. Kaspersky speaks of a "ticking cyber time bomb":

Even if the latest versions were available, the study showed that “41 percent would use an unsupported or soon be discontinued desktop operating systems such as Windows XP or Windows 7” and “open the door for cybercriminals due to possibly unpatched security vulnerabilities”.

The situation in companies is also fatal, as Kaspersky reveals in a blog post: "More than a third of the very small and almost half of the medium-sized and large companies currently use Windows 7 - support for which will be discontinued in January 2020," explains the manufacturer of Security software. Let's take a look at specific numbers:

• Windows XP has not received any updates since April 2014. 1 percent of very small businesses still use Windows XP, but so does 2 percent of home users.
• Windows Vista wasn't a big hit from Microsoft; mainstream support was discontinued seven years ago. Nevertheless, 0.2 percent of small businesses and 0.3 percent of private users rely on this OS.
• Windows 7, whose support ends at the beginning of 2020, as just mentioned, is one of the most widespread operating systems: 38 percent of small businesses, 47 percent of medium-sized and large companies, and 38 percent of private users still use this outdated operating system version!
• Windows 8 has not been supported by Microsoft since 2016; there was a free update to Windows 8.1. Nonetheless, 1 percent of small businesses, 0.4 percent of medium-sized and large companies, and 1 percent of private users still use Windows 8.
• Windows 8.1 is used by 5 percent of companies and 7 percent of private users.

The Operating System Determines Computer Security

How secure the computers and their networks are, depends to a large extent on the operating system used. As a rule, the end of support for operating systems means that they are no longer supplied by (security) updates from the manufacturer. Newly discovered security gaps cannot be closed and thus easily exploited by cybercriminals.

Windows XP remains popular

Microsoft had its big hit with Windows XP: No operating system has ever been as popular as Windows XP. XP has existed for almost 18 years, but Microsoft released the last update on April 8, 2014. In April 2013, about a year before the end of support, Windows XP was still installed on 40 percent of the computers. Windows 7 was at 44.73 percent at the time, Windows 8 - published in October before - was rather exotic at 3.17 percent.

A study by the antivirus manufacturer Avast showed in 2013 that Windows XP computers become virus-hurling and thus endanger other users. Because three-quarters of all Trojan infections that took place at the time were aimed at the old-timer Windows XP. Thomas Baumgärtner, a security expert at Microsoft at the time, explained: "Windows XP is based on a security architecture that has long been outdated and no longer meets today's requirements."

Accordingly, the supply was completely stopped by updates in April 2014. The outdated operating system has survived on more than 1 percent of the devices.

Windows 7 support will end soon

Microsoft is in the process of abdicating Windows 7: users and companies can use the extended support for Windows 7 until January 14, 2020. After this period there will be no further security updates from Microsoft and Windows 7 is also an outdated operating system!

It was not long ago that Windows 7 was the most popular operating system for PCs - in fact, only a good year, as the market research company Netmarketshare shows based on current figures. According to these figures, Windows 7, introduced in 2009, was the most widely used operating system until November 2018. In December it was overtaken by its successor: Windows 10 had a market share of 39.22 percent, Windows 7 36.9 percent.

Windows 7 still has a market share of an incredible 26.94 percent. Since, as mentioned, the support ends in January, numerous computers and their users are faced with a glaring security problem.

Network security with Windows Server 2008 and an outdated operating system

Important: The end of Windows 7 at the beginning of 2020 means the end of support for the server systems of this OS generation. For you, this means that support for Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 will end on January 14, 2020. From this point on, there will be no more updates and no security gaps will be closed.

Not only computers but also servers urgently need to be updated to the next generation to guarantee IT security. The End-of-Support (EoS) servers do not cease operations, but any further use is associated with immense security risks and possible violations of compliance guidelines.

These risks go well beyond individual platforms: If a server is compromised, the entire network is often vulnerable to hacker attacks. In addition to data loss, crypto mining attacks or data encrypted by ransomware can be the result. The earlier measures are taken, the sooner you are prepared and can switch to systems that are up to date. An update should be carried out now at the latest to be prepared for the end of support for Windows 7 and Win Server 2008.

Outdated Operating System: Many Authorities and Schools Are Lagging Behind

An outdated operating system is not something that only private users and companies have to do with. It is frightening that authorities and schools rarely react to the end of support. A look at the Berlin administration reveals the disaster: almost 57,000 administration computers are waiting in the capital for their upgrade. The fear of data chaos almost paralyzes politics: Citizens and politics see the administration facing an almost impossible task.

An article on News4Teachers shows that schools are also faced with this problem. To keep operations at a school going, a lot of different data has to be processed every day. This also includes a lot of personal data: master data of the pupils and parents, but also of the teachers and any guest lecturers.

Even switching from Windows XP to Windows 7 was a gigantic problem for many schools. And now the time is pressing for a quick change to the current operating system, as one is aiming for. In addition to the school computers, all computers in the entire school system are to be converted to Windows 10. The schools are aware of one thing: if only one computer remains with an outdated operating system, it could become a security hole for the entire system.

Of course, Windows 10 computers can also be infected with malware. However, the current operating system version can detect such an infection at an early stage. Fortunately, many schools are aware of the urgency. Schools and authorities can take advantage of framework agreements with Microsoft, which clarify the support and other details in detail. Ideally, affected schools and authorities will take care of the switch to Windows 10 by the Christmas holidays 2019 at the latest to start the new year safely.

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Outdated Operating System: Conclusion

It was not just yesterday that Microsoft announced the end of support for Windows 7 - nevertheless, computers in companies, private households, schools, and authorities are still using this operating system. This is annoying, as an outdated operating system not only damages the affected computer, but also all systems connected to the network. The authorities, schools, and other public institutions could act as role models here, but they are often even more lagging behind than companies and private users. This jeopardizes data protection, which the GDPR now prescribes.