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The 12-minute Windows Heist

An anonymous reader writes "Sophos has come up with some pretty interesting research: apparently, there's a 50 percent chance unprotected Windows PCs will be compromised within 12 minutes of going online. Sophos came to that conclusion based on research covering the last six months of virus activity. The company said authors of malware such as spam, viruses, phishing scams and spyware have increased both the volume and sophistication of their assaults, releasing almost 8,000 new viruses in the first half of 2005 and increasingly teaming up in joint ventures to make money. The new-virus figure is up 59 percent on the same period last year."

7 of 497 comments (clear)

  1. Good news everybody! by poopdeville · · Score: 4, Funny

    It takes slightly more time to get pwn3d now.

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    After all, I am strangely colored.
    1. Re:Good news everybody! by Doppler00 · · Score: 5, Funny

      My question is, which happens faster, first post, or getting a windows machine infected?

      Just a theoretical question...

  2. Hogwash by AvantLegion · · Score: 5, Funny
    Hogwash. I've been online for over 11 1/2 minutes and I haven't had anCLICK HERE FOR DISCOUNT V1AGR4!!!11

  3. Schrodinger's PC? by mikeophile · · Score: 4, Funny

    After 12 minutes, an unprotected PC running Windows is both compromised and uncompromised until a tech collapses the state vector by producing a hefty bill for checking.

  4. Re:And if you enable... by sycotic · · Score: 3, Funny

    "nothing could compromise it" ...famous last words :)

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    -- If I were a fish, I'd be wet
  5. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 5, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  6. Re:Not safe to buy a PC? by MustardMan · · Score: 4, Funny

    You can play a lot of great games on the mac that you just can't find for the PC. Like breakout... super breakout. That puzzle game with the apple logo. Plus, you already know which games are good for the mac, because you played them five or six years ago on the pc.

    BTW, I'm typing this on a dual G5 powermac and have been developing into quite the mac zealot lately, but it can still be entertaining to poke fun at the platform. Old habits die hard!!