Windows PCs were targeted in 83%
Malware is everywhere, which makes systems running Windows-the world’s most popular operating system-particularly susceptible to cyber attacks. According to AV Test’s 2019/2020 Security Report, 114 million new pieces of malware were developed in 2019, and 78.64 percent of all attacks were launched on Windows systems.
These predictions are increasing the expectation for 2020 with a wide range of numbers. By the end of the year, 160 million new programs will exist. COVID-19 pandemic; hackers manipulating the uncertainty to spread malware and increase phishing attacks. As a result, the number of PCs affected by malware increased up to 83.45%.
Windows is a common target, which is why it’s “most common” and also has a lot of vulnerabilities . Only a few months after release, Microsoft had more than 660 security vulnerabilities identified with the latest operating system. These flaws prompted Microsoft to introduce an automatic update feature in order to rectify them. Contrarily, 357 of the reported flaws were related to Windows 10.
Windows users also have to contend with other types of malware, that threaten their PCs, besides the ones found in the system. These are Trojans, viruses, worms, and more. Users running various applications or using connected devices can become at risk due to security weaknesses or by receiving an attack.
Considering that 51% of computers worldwide have Windows 10 installed, this means that cybercriminals are able to take advantage of a highly vulnerable operating system. Many enterprises would rather upgrade to Windows 8 or 8.1 if they want protection against cyber attacks. They provide much more security features than HDK 10.
Browsers were the second largest platform for distributing malware, with 11.09% of all malicious users installing malware through them in the first half of 2020. This year has brought Android back, with a 3% market share. iOS, macOS, and Linux actually decreased by 2% this year.
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Author: PC-GR
The World of Technology
