It has been recently found that there are still a quarter of Windows users that are running outdated versions of the Microsoft’s own browser, Internet Explorer. While there are many who have already moved on to a faster, more secure Microsoft Edge browsing platform, those who still stuck with the old version of the browser are potentially vulnerable to compromise their machines with malware, ransomware, and banking trojans.
Those Who Still Run The Outdated Version of Internet Explorer Expose Their Systems to Attacks
According to a report from security company Duo, there are 25-percent of Windows devices that are still running the old and now unsupported versions of Internet Explorer. There are half of all Windows XP devices that are still running the browser’s version 7 or 8, which is now currently on version 11. Failure to choose to update the browser could not only expose the browser itself from potential malware and the like, but it could threaten Windows users to more than 700 known vulnerabilities to penetrate the entire system.
Users who are still continuing to run the outdated Microsoft Internet Explorer versions were open to a “manifold” of threads, as told by Rik Ferguson, the global vice president of security research at Trend Micro. “Your web browser is your doorway to the worldwide web and like any door it can serve not only outward but inward too, allowing criminals access to compromise your machine with any malware of their choice,” explained Ferguson. Exploit kits, software designed to discover and exploit vulnerabilities on a target system are now commonplace on every level of cybercrime, delivering everything from banking trojans and information stealers to ransomware, now reaching epidemic proportions.”
Furthermore, those who opt not to update their web browsers are also less likely to have their browser plug-ins updated as well. Hence, this will open up to even more security risks, added Ferguson. “Web browsers and their associated plug-in technologies, such as Adobe’s Flash, Acrobat or Apple’s QuickTime video player, are by far the most commonly targeted software on end-user computers,” the vice president of security research said.
Microsoft already announced that they are no longer going to continue support for versions 8, 9, and 10 of Internet Explorer back in January. This announcement was made to encourage users to either update the browser to version 11, or to use Microsoft Edge instead. The tech company did release one last patch for the 8, 9, and 10 versions of the browser and with it came with an “End of Life” notice.