PC Tools reveals Vista is not so immune

San Francisco, May 08 2008: Leading security software vendor, PC Tools, today released research* confirming that the widely debated Windows Vista is still a long way from having immunity to online threats and that additional protection is essential.

“Microsoft has invested a great deal in making Vista more secure, by providing a number of security enhancements which were not in prior Microsoft operating system releases,” said Simon Clausen, Chief Executive Officer, PC Tools, “but industry experts have been reluctant to confirm its improved resistance to malware with good reason.”

“Ironically, the new operating system has been hailed by Microsoft as the most secure version of Windows to date. However, recent research conducted with statistics from over 1.4 million computers within the ThreatFire community has shown that Windows Vista is more susceptible to malware than the eight year old Windows 2000 operating system, and only 37% more secure than Windows XP,” Clausen said.

“It only takes one attack to destroy a computer or allow hackers to access your personal and financial information. These results suggest that Vista is still leaving consumers vulnerable to an attack, reinforcing the need for additional third-party protection,” said Clausen.

*Research conducted over 6 months by using anonymous statistics from the ThreatFire community. Threats are confirmed against third-party antivirus scanners.

While research shows that there are currently fewer threats per machine on Windows Vista than XP, there is a significant risk that the infection rate could rise. PC Tools cautions that because Vista has a smaller market share than its predecessor, targeted attacks are less frequent. However, once Vista’s market-share increases, it is likely to become a more lucrative platform for attack.

“Since its launch, Microsoft has flagged the increased level of protection Vista provides as one of the key reasons why consumers should upgrade from Windows XP to Vista. If Microsoft’s forecasts for the operating system are correct and Vista’s market share increases significantly, we could expect infection rates to increase further on Vista,” said Clausen. While the rhetoric may suggest otherwise, PC Tools recommends that users never run Vista without additional antivirus and antispyware protection.

NOTE TO EDITOR

Research was conducted over the last six months within the ThreatFire community. Results were verified by checking against third-party scanners and threat counts are distinct ie. if Malware A is caught more than once in Machine A it is only counted once.

ABOUT THREATFIRE

ThreatFire uses advanced patent pending technology to detect signs of malicious behavior commonly used by malware threats. ThreatFire is unlike traditional anti-virus products that rely on signature technology and require updating every time a new threat occurs. ThreatFire’s ActiveDefence Technology is able to identify and paralyze threats that are too new or too sophisticated to be recognized by traditional security software. ThreatFire is designed to only alert end users of truly malicious behavior.

ABOUT PC TOOLS

PC Tools is a global software leader with a cache of security and utility products, including the multi award-winning Spyware Doctor®. PC Tools is an industry leader in real-time anti-spyware and has a number of key patents pending.

The PC Tools Malware Research Center monitors trends and emerging spyware issues and provides security solutions for the consumer and enterprise marketplace. The company is headquartered in Sydney, with offices in San Francisco, London, Shannon (Ireland), Melbourne, Kiev, and Boulder. PC Tools has a global network of distributors, resellers, and retailers.