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Community
General discussionAre Microsoft updates still viable?(104 posts)(104 posts)
(104 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted May 10, 2019
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wpegg: To my understanding, Win 7 extended support ends on 14th Jan 2020, until then you'll get all security updates. After then it would be foolish to keep using that OS for your mainstream use such as internet browsing, as you'll be vulnerable to drive by attacks exploiting vulnerabilities that will no longer be patched.
End-user behavior is far more significant re security than running an OS that is no longer officially supported.
Posted May 10, 2019
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wpegg: To my understanding, Win 7 extended support ends on 14th Jan 2020, until then you'll get all security updates. After then it would be foolish to keep using that OS for your mainstream use such as internet browsing, as you'll be vulnerable to drive by attacks exploiting vulnerabilities that will no longer be patched.
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richlind33: End-user behavior is far more significant re security than running an OS that is no longer officially supported.
THIS. Heck, some gov't agencies still use TAPE DRIVES. 0.O
Post edited May 10, 2019 by GameRager
Posted May 10, 2019
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jepsen1977: Will Microsucks provide some kind of upgrade plan when we get to January (free or discounted)? Does anyone know?
Don't quote me on this, but I think you can still activate a Win 10 license with your Win 7 or 8 product key or something like that.
Posted May 10, 2019
I haven't trusted Microsoft updates. So i don't use them.

So windows 7 is still quite viable as long as MS can't change whatever they want when they want it.

Also i hate Windows 8/10.
Posted May 10, 2019
low rated
I hate to agree with rt, but Windows 10 is a mess.

Ever since Alex Jones started using it, he hasn't been able to post on YouTube or Facebook.
Post edited May 10, 2019 by tinyE
Posted May 10, 2019
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GameRager: THIS. Heck, some gov't agencies still use TAPE DRIVES. 0.O
They're more reliable for long-term storage than HDD/SDD.
Posted May 10, 2019
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GameRager: THIS. Heck, some gov't agencies still use TAPE DRIVES. 0.O
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teceem: They're more reliable for long-term storage than HDD/SDD.
Derp....I shoulda said Windows 98/xp. My bad.
Posted May 10, 2019
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toxicTom: I prefer uBlock Origin. And if you know what you're doing you can also add uMatrix (which acts as a No-Script for third-party scripts). It's really astounding on some pages how many scripts you have to allow (temporarily or permanently) which in turn load other scripts until you actually see any content...
Thanks for the referrals.
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morolf:
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Themken: News websites tend to have ads and they carry malware now and then. In this way people have received viruses and ransomware and such from big renowned news sites. UBlock Origin is kind of a must have as long as they cannot be bothered to check the ads.

I guess NoScript and such would work too but that very effectively breaks most web pages.
I use NoScript, and I have disabled Flash.
Remember, malware is a statistics-limited proposition; kiddies script in Microsoft because it is prevalent, so odds are better that someone will have a system running it, and of that group some will have vulnerabilities that haven't been patched (or, in this case, can't be patched any further). They also use click-bait names to lure the unwary, and ambush tactics.

Some of the worst infection/s I suffered came from setting Wikipedia as my home page. (The worst was trying to install a game I bought from a store that only supplied a Steam-code; whilst I was connected the installation was hijacked. Nice.)
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ZyloxDragon: Another thing you can do is run linux in a virtual machine and do all your browsing from there. Windows vulnerabilities will still be present on your host system, but most computers hit by malware are from compromised websites thru the browser.
Aside from this, you could use a limited browser (one without flash, images, etc.) or even build your own. It all depends on risk-versus-cost.
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moobot83: … i used GPEDIT to disable the following, CMD, regedit, control panel, cortana, and many other things …
Is there a way to get GPEDIT if you only have Home?
Microsoft developers get access to all their software (after web registration).
Posted May 10, 2019
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wpegg: To my understanding, Win 7 extended support ends on 14th Jan 2020, until then you'll get all security updates. After then it would be foolish to keep using that OS for your mainstream use such as internet browsing, as you'll be vulnerable to drive by attacks exploiting vulnerabilities that will no longer be patched.
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richlind33: End-user behavior is far more significant re security than running an OS that is no longer officially supported.
Running an insecure OS *is* end-user behaviour and is demonstrative of an attitude to security that may well get them burned. Drive by attacks can catch anyone, I got hit by one a few months ago while I was browsing articles on optimisations to Microsft Azure Service Fabric (a very niche subject), luckily I was up to date and had no vulns it could exploit. Innocent sites can get compromised, you might have visited it for the last year, and totally trust it, only for it to suddenly start probing your machine. Given that, the belief that the end-user can avoid such attacks through diligence and careful behaviour is naive. This very site has demonstrated weaknesses in the past that could have been exploited to allow such attacks, and yet you are here, probably allowing this site to run scripts (I don't think you can log in without).
Post edited May 10, 2019 by wpegg
Posted May 11, 2019
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scientiae: Is there a way to get GPEDIT if you only have Home?
Microsoft developers get access to all their software (after web registration).
moobot83 recomended a program called "policy plus" on post nº 29. I´ve check it and it looks good but clearly states some stuff are inacessible from HOME versions.

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wpegg: This very site has demonstrated weaknesses in the past that could have been exploited to allow such attacks, and yet you are here,
That´s GOG fault, not mine for not update OS :D

On a more serious note, wasn´t Linux mint hacked in some way and the ISO compromised with some kind of malware?
Not taking in Mint particulary, I use it regulary and like it.
BTW I don´t care if you use Arch.
Posted May 11, 2019
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toxicTom: I prefer uBlock Origin. And if you know what you're doing you can also add uMatrix (which acts as a No-Script for third-party scripts). It's really astounding on some pages how many scripts you have to allow (temporarily or permanently) which in turn load other scripts until you actually see any content...
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scientiae: Thanks for the referrals.
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Themken: News websites tend to have ads and they carry malware now and then. In this way people have received viruses and ransomware and such from big renowned news sites. UBlock Origin is kind of a must have as long as they cannot be bothered to check the ads.

I guess NoScript and such would work too but that very effectively breaks most web pages.
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scientiae: I use NoScript, and I have disabled Flash.
Remember, malware is a statistics-limited proposition; kiddies script in Microsoft because it is prevalent, so odds are better that someone will have a system running it, and of that group some will have vulnerabilities that haven't been patched (or, in this case, can't be patched any further). They also use click-bait names to lure the unwary, and ambush tactics.

Some of the worst infection/s I suffered came from setting Wikipedia as my home page. (The worst was trying to install a game I bought from a store that only supplied a Steam-code; whilst I was connected the installation was hijacked. Nice.)
avatar
ZyloxDragon: Another thing you can do is run linux in a virtual machine and do all your browsing from there. Windows vulnerabilities will still be present on your host system, but most computers hit by malware are from compromised websites thru the browser.
avatar
scientiae: Aside from this, you could use a limited browser (one without flash, images, etc.) or even build your own. It all depends on risk-versus-cost.
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moobot83: … i used GPEDIT to disable the following, CMD, regedit, control panel, cortana, and many other things …
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scientiae: Is there a way to get GPEDIT if you only have Home?
Microsoft developers get access to all their software (after web registration).
yes theres a program called policy plus and its basically gpedit for home users
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rtcvb32: I haven't trusted Microsoft updates. So i don't use them.

So windows 7 is still quite viable as long as MS can't change whatever they want when they want it.

Also i hate Windows 8/10.
windows 10 is fine i use windows 10 and it looks like windows 7 i used the following

classic shell - to make start menu like windows 7 or even XP
ribbon disabler - to remove that awful bar and replace it with W7 one
GPEDIT or policy plus to disable things like cortana search box etc

with gpedit u can make windows to how u like you can also get cool windows 10 themes aswell

i dunno if it works with windows 10 but there was a ubuntu light and dark theme i used it when i had windows 7 i dnt use it now
Post edited May 11, 2019 by moobot83
Posted May 11, 2019
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richlind33: End-user behavior is far more significant re security than running an OS that is no longer officially supported.
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wpegg: Running an insecure OS *is* end-user behaviour and is demonstrative of an attitude to security that may well get them burned. Drive by attacks can catch anyone, I got hit by one a few months ago while I was browsing articles on optimisations to Microsft Azure Service Fabric (a very niche subject), luckily I was up to date and had no vulns it could exploit. Innocent sites can get compromised, you might have visited it for the last year, and totally trust it, only for it to suddenly start probing your machine. Given that, the belief that the end-user can avoid such attacks through diligence and careful behaviour is naive. This very site has demonstrated weaknesses in the past that could have been exploited to allow such attacks, and yet you are here, probably allowing this site to run scripts (I don't think you can log in without).
IMO, your point is only valid if you're browsing with a device that is used for work and/or you don't back up important data. But even then, running a supported Win version will only give you marginally better security. real security requires disabling scripts, which means sacrificing functionality. If you don't require that level of security, you don't need to worry about running Win 7/XP.
Posted May 11, 2019
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hedwards: Given this post and your name, I think you might like suffering a bit more than is healthy. :-P
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GameRager: Some dislike Windows/Microsoft(and often for good reason), but if some like their products I see no harm in it/in doing so as long as one get's their money's worth and knows how to use such to the best of their ability/to block any bad aspects of said products/etc.
You mean other than them encouraging suck? People like that deserve no mercy.
Posted May 11, 2019
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moobot83: windows 10 is fine i use windows 10 and it looks like windows 7 i used the following

classic shell - to make start menu like windows 7 or even XP
ribbon disabler - to remove that awful bar and replace it with W7 one
GPEDIT or policy plus to disable things like cortana search box etc
Yeah, just Cortana you can barely turn off, updates that will turn themselves back on, settings in a new weird way that's difficult to turn off telemetry, adware in place where it shouldn't be, the windows store...

I could go on...

Here's my opinion. Fuck windows 10 and microsoft.
Posted May 11, 2019
i turned windows updates off and it does it permanently,
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionAre Microsoft updates still viable?(104 posts)(104 posts)
(104 posts)