If you?re one of the PC users wanting to or about to upgrade to Windows 10, you may want to delay your migration to Microsoft?s latest operating system as it is not wise to jump right away to a completely new computing environment.
This is according to Jimmy Low, Kaspersky Lab presales group manager for Southeast Asia, who said that it is better for Windows users to wait for at least the first batch of service packs that will address any bugs or glitches the OS might have in its first wave of users.
While Microsoft has boldly proclaimed Windows 10 as its most secure OS yet, reports have surfaced that an inordinate amount of information are required from the users in order to activate the software. These personal details could be used to spy on Windows users, the reports said.
Microsoft Edge, the new browser that comes with Windows 10, is said to be more secure than Mozilla?s Firefox and Google?s Chrome. But reports also said its Adobe Flash video player plug-in keeps on crashing, possibly giving hackers an entry point for attacks.
Low, an executive based in Kuala Lumpur who was in the Philippines recently to conduct a seminar for the company?s SME clients, said around 70 percent of threats and viruses roaming the Internet are known and have been mapped out by security firms.
The rest of these threats, he said, are unknown and could be extremely destructive is an all-new terrain like Windows 10.
Low said a computer owner should always prefer a stable and secure platform rather plunge readily into a new environment where zero-day vulnerabilities abound. Zero-day refers to a hole in software that is unknown to the vendor and is exploited by hackers before the vendor becomes aware and hurries to fix it.
Although the security official said there is no definite timeframe as to when a user should upgrade to a new software, it is always safe to let the experts determine first and root out its vulnerabilities and wait for the first batch of patches.
He said local businesses should be extra careful since they hold valuable trade and financial information that could be stolen from them. He said that everyone can be a target, including small firms.
