Security experts warn against pirated Windows 7

By

Security experts have urged users to be wary of pirated early versions of Microsoft's forthcoming Windows 7 operating system because they may contain malware.

Security experts warn against pirated Windows 7
An early build of Windows 7, labelled 'Windows 7 Ultimate Build 7000', was leaked onto the internet last week, and made widely available for download via several peer-to-peer networks.

Rob Rachwald, director of product marketing at security vendor Fortify, highlighted an increase in software infected with malware being posted on the internet, and warned that users should only download software from a trusted source.

"The whole idea is to exploit something popular, whether it's getting users to download porn or popular software. It's just a clever way to spread malware, " he said.

Rik Ferguson, solutions architect at content security vendor Trend Micro, echoed these sentiments.

"We would definitely discourage people from downloading and installing any software where they cannot be sure of the reliability of the content, or the trustworthiness of the source," he said.

"Pirated software distributed over peer-to-peer communities ranks pretty low on the credibility scale."

It is widely expected that Microsoft will make some significant Windows 7 announcements at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week.
Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright ©v3.co.uk
Tags:

Most Read Articles

Vic Police uses AI to reformat community-submitted crime reports

Vic Police uses AI to reformat community-submitted crime reports

AGD sets end-of-year deadline for Microsoft 365 rollout

AGD sets end-of-year deadline for Microsoft 365 rollout

Australia takes another step toward a central bank digital currency

Australia takes another step toward a central bank digital currency

ANZ to put 3000 leaders through an AI "immersion centre"

ANZ to put 3000 leaders through an AI "immersion centre"

Log In

  |  Forgot your password?