Many users are using an outdated version of Windows, putting their personal data and computers at risk
Millions of users are not updating their operating system. And not even the programs they use daily. This emerges from a research carried out by Avast on computer use and the most installed applications by users. The data of the survey “2019 Avast Pc Report” (this is the name of the research) are very interesting: users use old versions of programs, do not update them and are not aware of the dangers of the Net.
We have repeatedly addressed the problem of people’s lack of knowledge of the most basic rules of computer security. Do not press on the links you receive on WhatsApp, do not provide your personal data, do not open e-mails of which you do not know the sender. But above all, update your operating system, antivirus and all the programs you use daily. It can be a hassle to install new versions of applications, but it’s the only way to defend our personal information from new dangers and bugs that could put your data at risk. For example, Avast’s researchers discovered that Microsoft Office 2007 is the most used version of the writing program: the application has not been supported by the Redmond company for quite some time now. What does this mean? That in case of bugs present in the program that endanger your PC, Microsoft will not release any patches and your data will be in danger.
Why Windows users are in danger
Don’t be alarmed, not all users who have Windows OS installed on their PCs are in danger. If you have Windows 10 updated to the latest version, you can sleep soundly. Avast’s research, however, shows that as many as 42% of users still use Windows 7, an operating system that Microsoft will no longer support from January 2020: in case of bugs, no patches will be released. Of this 42% of Windows 7 users, as many as 15% still have the first “RTM” version installed and could be at risk.
How to secure your Windows computer
The advice is to upgrade your Windows 7 PC as quickly as possible to Windows 10, the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system. In addition to receiving continuous updates from the Redmond company to improve functionality, you’ll also have all the security updates. The same goes for Microsoft Office: if you use the 2007 or Office 2010 version, you’ll update the program to the latest version. In addition to having extra functionality, your personal documents will be safe.