How to secure Windows XP?

Question

Microsoft's support of Windows XP is ending shortly, however I want to continue using Windows XP on my home computers. I have an anti-virus program BitDefender, and a malware scanner MalewareBytes. I also use Windows Firewall. Are there any additional programs to install or settings I could change on my computers to make it less vulnerable to security threats etc. once the support updates stop coming out? Would it be a good idea not to install the last few updates so that my computer would not be running the latest version of Windows trying to be hacked?

Update:

Maybe the software industry has given up on Windows XP, but users, home like me and many, many business alike, still use it worldwide and will continue to use it once it is expired. I do not think that 45 % of all the computers in the world, right now running Windows XP, are all going to be upgraded in just a few months.

Ti · Accepted Answer

You cant continue using it because even the software developers will no longer have to use old programming language to write software for Windows XP anymore!

That means that whatever latest version of Malware-bytes, Bit-Defender, and etc.. comes out that will be the last latest versions for Windows XP and never newer versions ever again for Windows XP!

and that is in all software types not just security software!

whether you like to change or not is upto you but the software industry is giving up on Windows XP

Anonymous · Answer

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2046548/windows-xps-retirement-could-spark-a-hacker-feeding-frenzy.html

The entire line of Windows retains the core NT architecture, so vulnerability patches found in 7 & 8 will be back-engineered by the bad guys, and leveraged on the soon-to-be expired XP SP3 to install malware.  Microsoft has said it will retire Windows XP-SP3 and stop serving security updates on  April 8, 2014.
Expect "bug banking", where XP-SP3 bugs are discovered by hackers, but withheld until after Microsoft retires the OS. 
XP "zero-days" and their associated exploits could remain effective for months, maybe even years, depending on how well security software detects and quarantines such attacks. 
Moving to the newer Win7 OS is an option, however, Win8 has been constrained by Microsoft to disallow any changes to the OS, which leads many to suspect a 'back-door' arrangement has been made with US spy agencies: use at your own risk.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/08/23/nsa_germany_windows_8/

If you can't live without XP-SP3, just keep it off the 'Net.
Dual Boot with some Linux distro and use Linux for all Internet facing tasks.

Trending News

How to secure Windows XP?

2 Answers