Windows XP Is 21 Times More Vulnerable Than Windows 8 Claims Microsoft

With Windows 8 uptake being much slower than expected Microsoft is looking for ways to drive users over to their new operating system from older operating systems. And what better way to do this than by giving XP users a “friendly” kick up the backside with some security scaremongering statistics.

According to Microsoft’s Senior Product Manager Chris Hallum, speaking with TechRadar, he claimed that security is a big reason why users should contemplate the migration from Windows XP to Windows 8. Hallum revealed some very interesting statistics to make Windows 7 and Windows XP users think twice about delaying the upgrade to Windows 8. According to Hallum Windows 7 users are six times more likely to get infected than Windows 8 users but Windows XP users are staggering 21 times more likely to get infected. This is due to numerous security enhancements built into Microsoft’s new OS.

Even if that wasn’t enough to make you consider the move from Windows XP, the fact Microsoft is ending support for it in April 2014 should give you some “gentle” encouragement. With XP still running on a huge swath of the world’s computers, something like 30-40% depending on sources, it means a lot of you are reading this on XP. While XP was a great OS back in the day the next 9-12 months should be a time when all XP users seriously consider upgrading to a newer OS whether that be Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Ubuntu 13.04, Mac OS X 10.9 or any other new OS.

Image courtesy of Microsoft