Slashdot Mirror
Microsoft Links Malware Rates To Pirated Windows
CWmike writes "Microsoft said today that computers in countries with high rates of software piracy are more likely to be infected because users are leery of applying security patches. 'There is a direct correlation between piracy and the malware infection rate,' said Jeff Williams, head manager of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center. Highlighting research that showed worms to be the most prevalent computer security problem today, Williams said the link between PC infection rates and piracy is due to the hesitancy of users of pirated software to use Windows Update. China's piracy rate is more than four times that of the US, but the use of Windows Update in China is significantly below that in this country. Same for Brazil and France. But Microsoft's own data doesn't always support William's contention that piracy, and the hesitancy to use Windows Update, leads to more infected PCs. China, for example, boasted a malware infection rate — as defined by the number of computers cleaned for each 1,000 executions of the MSRT — of just 6.7 per thousand, significantly below the global average of 8.7 or the US's rate of 8.2. France's infection rate of 7.9 in the first half of 2009 was also below the worldwide average."
In Brazil several computer stores sell PCs wirh a pirated version of windows pre-installed. So it's very likely that a lot of those 'computer pirates' are computer iliterates. Also, pirate versions of any popular application, movies and songs can be easily bought on the streets at broad day light -- not in dark alleys. So, if a person sees "Computer with genuine MS Windows XP" it's not unlikely that they would ask the salesman "can you make it cheaper if you sell it with a pirated version of windows?", even if it's a complete layperson. I believe that things are a bit different in the US, where you have to have at least heard about p2p technology in order to enjoy pirate software.
I just got done working on my grandparents machine. They only have dial up, with one phone line in the house. They connect, check their email via POP3, and disconnect. They had 336 viruses that I could find (many of them worms). I don't think connection times matter that much, especially since this was over a 56k modem only connected a few times a week for 10-20 minutes at a shot.
I, on the other hand, am inclined to think otherwise.
I don't think that anybody in their right mind would call Fedora Linux lacking in security, but if you were to download the install DVD for Fedora 11, the latest version, what you'd get is exactly what you'd have downloaded on the first day it was available. Then, after installation, you'd have to download all the updates needed to bring your system up to date. How is this different from what Microsoft does?
Good, inexpensive web hosting
Security patches are not subject to the Genuine Advantage check. People running pirated software are just less likely to run windows update because they are scared that it will somehow invalidate their pirated install. Also, as you note, installing pirated software, including Windows, is a risk in itself as much pirated software has been prepackaged with malware.