Avast: Windows XP Accounts for Nearly 75 Percent of Rootkit Infections
Avast: Windows XP Accounts for Nearly 75 Percent of Rootkit Infections
Posted 07/29/2011 at 8:46am
| by Paul Lilly
16
Comments
Print
Users still clinging to Windows XP like that fast and gnarly Trans Am from yesteryear that's just too familiar to part with have yet another reason to consider a new ride. According to security firm Avast, XP is a fertile breeding ground for cyber infection, especially for rootkits, of which 74 percent of infections originated from in a recent six-month study cataloging over 630,000 samples.
Windows XP is the most common operating system among Avast users with nearly half sticking with the nearly decade old OS. It's also one of the easier OSes to pirate, and according to Avast, un-patched and pirated versions of XP make up the main vector for rootkit infections.
"One issue with Windows XP is the high number of pirated versions, especially as users are often unable to properly update them because the software can't be validated by the Microsoft update," said Przemyslaw Gmerek (PDF), the Avast expert on rootkis and lead researcher. "Because of the way they attack -- and stay connected -- deep in the operating system, rootkits are a perfect weapon for stealing private data."
Rootkit infections dropped off considerably for Windows Vista and Windows 7 in Avast's study, though the security outfit warns that more recent OSes aren't entirely immune.
"Cybercriminals are continuing to fine-tune their attack strategy with the Master Boot Record (MBR) remaining their favorite target for even the newest TDL4 rootkit variant," Avast stated in its report.
What operating system and security software are you rocking?
More like this
16
Comments
Comments are closed on this article
Bowser456
April 03, 2012 at 12:01am
Childhood living in the countryside, mostly barefoot. Raised came to the city, barefoot phenomenon is very rude and polite. So I had to take away the joy and the spread in the country, learning the city, people look at the bracket on the shoes. City people would style shoes, are currently low heels and high heels, and every time it seemsdisk space management
Damnlogin
July 31, 2011 at 8:54pm
There is this 1 rogue virus that kept disabling MSE on our Vista machines. The funny thing is that it's hard for "normal" people to notice it since it looks and runs just like the real thing. I switched back to Avira after my 2nd rogue infection with MSE.
So right now:
Desktop
Dual booting Vista Ultimate 64bit and Ubuntu w/ Avira, SuperAntispyware, Malwarebytes, Spybot S&S and Firefox w/ AdBlock, No Script, Link Alert.
Laptop
Dual booting Vista Premium 32bit and Meego 1.2 w/ Avira, SuperAntispyware and Firefox w/ AdBlock, No Script, Link Alert.
No antivirus on either Linux distros
Portal
July 30, 2011 at 12:30pm
Dual booting Ubuntu and Win 7. Windows has almost every piece of security software known to man, and Ubuntu has Avast, just because :)
DogPatch1149
July 30, 2011 at 10:45am
Laptop is Win 7 Ultimate SP1/Joli OS dual-boot, desktop is Win 7 Ultimate SP1/Win XP Pro SP3 dual-boot because Win 7 doesn't support the ancient AGP card in it...7 still runs, but not optimally. I can add a supported AGP card and turn the desktop into a home server when I get my next desktop, which will be a Win 7 box.
On the other side of the coin, my wife just can't let go of Win XP. Her laptop is identical to mine, but she insisted on XP; her desktop is even older than mine, so Win 7 isn't a choice for that one.
Care to guess which machines have more problems and goofy errors in our house? *grin*
tony2tonez
July 30, 2011 at 8:15am
i am still using win xp. but next week i will be moving to win7 64-professional. I just ordered a SSD for it. cant wait for the upgrade.
desidiosus
July 30, 2011 at 5:47am
I, sir, do not "rock" an operating system. Surely there are less pseudo-hipster terms you could use?
livebriand
July 29, 2011 at 6:29pm
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and Microsoft Security Essentials (and malwarebytes free) on both of my systems, as well as WOT and NoScript. A spare system that another family member uses has XP and MSE. Another has w7 home premium 64 and Avast.
sirlanclot
July 29, 2011 at 3:00pm
I run Windows XP and Firefox with NoScript installed for prevention. Running RKill, Combofix, and then Malwarebytes before a reboot has been successfull in cleaning out everthing I've come across.
Annoyance
July 29, 2011 at 12:58pm
What operating system and security software are you rocking?
Microsoft Windows XP Home Main PC aka (Workstation)
Microsoft Windows XP Professional (NAS Server) (DMS) digital Media Server for WD TV Live Awesome!
After I finished Microsoft Windows XP Inside Out 2th Edition book I knew what was dead and what need updating, But I'm still using XP and will be until 2014. Might jump in the Windows 8 Beta this Fall then pick up Windows 7 along with Microsoft Windows 7 Inside Out 2th Edition Book Next Year with a new Videocard, No need to jump if you know what you doing.
Security Software
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Also on Server
Spybot - Search & Destroy
SUPERAntiSpyware Free Edition
Windows Defender Also on Server
majorsuave
July 29, 2011 at 10:54am
I would be curious to hear numbers from another security company just to know what is the rate of infection for the people that can afford an OS AND an antivirus.
noobstix
July 29, 2011 at 10:53am
I can pretty much attest to this fact since my oldest brother is still using XP and keeps getting his computer infected. He somehow managed to go somewhere and click some things to snag something that has bypassed MSE and now resides on his computer. Malwarebytes has unfortunately been able to pinpoint what's causing it (although it prevents Internet access entirely due to "malicious IP addresses").
Slugbait
July 29, 2011 at 12:37pm
Sony got busted with RootkitRevealer: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897445
richeemxx
July 29, 2011 at 11:13am
AFAIK MalwareBytes doesn't scan for rootkits. It can detect some but its not a dedicated scanner.
The fact that we are talking about an OS that is now 10+ yrs old and one of the most pirated pieces of software out there says something. Its easy to throw these numbers out there and make a big deal out of them but out of that 73% tested how many were legit copies that were totally updated?Give some perspective here! We all know XP has some flaws but it has also been around forever for anyone and their brother to find the holes in. And it still holds a 60-70% market share world wide. So its the most profitable to target.
HiGHRoLLeR038
July 29, 2011 at 10:29am
not that surprising. the tables will turn and windows7 wil have all the viruses some day. right now with XP holding nearly 40% of the OS market, its logical and efficient for virus writers to target a large, unprotected, and unpatched audience. when win7 becomes more popular and takes over the whole market, virus makers will be foreced to circumvent the security and make viruses for it.
Connect with MaximumPC
Featured Content
The gang discusses the GTX 690, Trinity, Ivy Bridge, Amazon, big-box stores, MMOs,...
This month's issue
Feature
Build a PC On Any Budget
Feature
Cloud Services Showdown
How-To
Encrypt Your External Drive
Build It
Upgrade an X58 Rig
Most Commented Articles
Latest Max PC Tweets
- maximumpc: Original RickRoll Video Returns to YouTube After 24-Hour Copyright Hiatus http://t.co/MaH9Sxyy19 hours 17 min ago
- maximumpc: Corsair has decided not to go forward with its $78 million IPO, citing weak equity market conditions http://t.co/A5a4DAzj19 hours 26 min ago
- maximumpc: Want to work at Maximum PC? Our Online Managing Editor, Alex, is moving away, so we need a new one. http://t.co/9Z7JCh0E2 days 17 hours ago
