Windows 7 Malware Infection Rate Ascended up to 182% in 2012
As per information provided by Microsoft, the rate of malware infection for Windows 7 has inflated to the extent of 182% this year. Nevertheless, the operating system has still remained 2 to 3 times less apt to fall to hacker attack than its eleven years old version Windows XP
In accordance with the reports provided by the Microsoft’s newest twice-yearly security report, it is unveiled that the malware infection rate for Windows 7 has increased from 33% in Q2 of 2011 to 182% in the Q2 of 2012. Whereas, the infection rate for Windows RTM (Release To Manufacturing), the original version launched in October 2009, was 33% more than this year for the 32-bit edition (x86), 59% more than the 64-bit (x64) OS. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) – the upgrade that shipped in February 2011, saw even larger infection increases: 172% for x86, 182% for x64.
The Director of Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing group, Tim Rains has stated that, there are various reasons that are liable for the raise in malware attacks, which also incorporate, large amount of unknowledgeable users and by increasing the acceptance and usage of the newest consumer version of Windows. Premature adopters are always keen of the technologies, having higher level of technical expertise than the mainstream computing population. As the Windows 7 install base has grown, new users are likely to possess a lower degree of security awareness than the early adopters and be less aware of safe online practices.
Apart from these, there many other factors that are main causes for this infection, which include, particular pieces of malware, which are more effective on that platform and in different places in the world, ability to keep Windows up to date varies greatly.
For the first time, Microsoft ranked the threats facing each version of Windows, bolstering Rains’ assertion that some malware families are more successful against, or at least more often aimed at, specific Windows builds, and thus affect the infection rates.
On the other hand, some of the security researchers say that, the main reason for this infection is due to Windows 7′s popularity. As Windows 7 is the well-liked operating system of the year, its usage share has climbed up by 45%, as per the reports provided by the Net Applications.
If this situation continues, Windows 7′s infection rate will keep on escalating as its market share does the same, and doesn’t decline until its successor restores it on a large number of PCs
Ankur
