Horun wrote on 2024-12-31, 04:53:
Not sure why peeps get so looking at lack of MS updates as the thing...it is your browser, the firewall and AV that keep you safe for the bad guys on the internet. As long as they are updated is A-OK
Sure, we have to put up with software suppliers not allowing an install of new product because "your OS is out of date" but that does not mean your very well self protected box is not safe....just saying.
See, this is what I would think as well, but if you mention anything about voluntarily not doing any (ANY!) software security updates on cyber security forums or subreddits you will be verbally strung up and castrated for being part of the "problem". People will start ranting about "herd immunity" and "botnets of people like YOU!" making the internet so much worse for all the good people who just let their PCs update automatically.
Obviously, I think these people are going way off the deep end, but I can't help but feel that there has to be at least some bit of truth to the idea... I just have no idea how often such things are actually exploited.
From years of experience fixing people's horribly malware ridden PCs, I am much more inclined to agree with your evaluation of things though. Lots of "fully up to date" PCs with bloated "fully up to date" AV software that are also "fully riddled with malware and garbage" because people won't be careful on the internet and they let everything right past all the countermeasures.
Use Microsoft Defender (or whatever they're calling it this week), install uBlock origin in your browser (I choose Firefox), stay off of really bad websites, don't use Bing search (the results are worse than most), always be 100% sure of Google results before clicking them, be careful what you download (don't download anything at all if you aren't savvy), don't believe anything you receive in an email or phone call about your computer, and have someone you can trust on speed-dial if anything questionable comes up. I'd rather have relatives pester me with questions about a popup or email than call me in a panic later when some "tech support" guy has their screen blacked out while he "fixes things". Oh, and don't save online banking passwords. EVER!
Also, this is a pretty cool thing that came out this year. I wouldn't mess with it on any decently knowledgeable person's PC, but for a grandma\mom\aunt\uncle PC, I think it's a really nice option:
https://www.seraphsecure.com/