Old software vulnerable to virus attack: F-Secure

BANGALORE, INDIA:F-Secure, a provider in IT security solutions, today announced that its data shows what is making computers most vulnerable to exploits are unpatched or out-of-date versions of the most widely-used software for PCs.

Between 80-90 per cent of users have security holes in their systems with on an average of five different vulnerabilities in the software on their computers.

Users don't remove the old versions of their programs and the vulnerabilities in them can leave the computer wide open to malware or malicious software, said a press release.

"A lot of the software on users' computers has been updated and patched to make it safe. People are using these new versions, but if they do not delete the old or unused versions from their computers, they may still be open to exploits," said Chia Wing Fei from F-Secure Labs.

Trojans are a typical example of the kinds programs which take advantage of vulnerabilities, said the release.

They are malicious applications which appear to do one thing but actually do another, giving the criminal access to your computer.

"The best way to keep your PC safe from exploits is to make sure your software is updated with the latest patches. Many software applications will do this automatically," Fei advises.

He also suggested the users to make sure that they have only those programs that they actually use installed on their. Old versions or unused programs should simply be removed.

In addition to the other programs on your computer, Web browsers can also be vulnerable to exploits, said the release. Sometimes these vulnerabilities are used by criminals before an update is available from the manufacturer.