14 DAY TRIAL // Windows 8.1 is said to be the most secure and advanced OS version ever released by Microsoft, but there's no doubt that determining the exact level of protection offered to users needs time.
However, Redmond claims that the first signs of the improvements it made to Windows can already be seen, as the number of exploits aimed at its operating system has remained stable in the second half of the last year, but overall, it recorded a huge drop in 2013.
That's indeed very good news for Windows users and Microsoft claims in the Security Intelligence Report 16 paper that while the operating system itself is becoming more secure, the apps that users install could actually expose their data and make their computers vulnerable to attacks.
“Detections of exploit attempts that affect Windows-based computers remained stable in 2H13 after declining significantly in 2Q13 due to fewer detections of Win32/Anogre,” Microsoft said in the report.
“Detections of exploits that affect the Android mobile operating system published by Google and the Open Handset Alliance accounted for a small share of operating system exploit detections in 2H13. (Microsoft security products detect these threats when Android devices or storage cards are connected to computers running Windows, or when Android users knowingly or unknowingly download infected or malicious programs to their computers before transferring the software to their devices.”
While Windows itself is becoming a little bit more secure, some of the apps that Microsoft is offering to Windows users, including Office and Internet Explorer, have been affected by some critical vulnerabilities that exposed data and could allow an attacker to get the same privileges as the logged-in user.
Such a security flaw was recently found in Internet Explorer and affected all versions of the browser currently on the market, including the ones running on Windows XP.
Given the fact that Windows XP has already reached end of support, Microsoft had to make an exception to its standard rule and provide XP users with an out of band patch that addressed the vulnerability and tried to keep users who are yet to upgrade to a newer operating on the safe side.
The next Patch Tuesday is taking place on May 13 and Microsoft warns that Windows XP won't be included in the rollout, so upgrading to a newer Windows version that can still protect your data should remain a priority for the time being, no matter the third-party security software running on your computer.