Microsoft: Windows 7 5 times more secure than Windows XP

• Microsoft: Windows 7 5 times more secure than Windows XP

This report has recently been published by Microsoft, and it is said that Windows 7 is 4 to 5 times more secure than Windows XP.

Microsoft's latest Security Intelligence Report provided detailed information about the state of software vulnerabilities, exploits, security breaches, and malware in 2010.

The report showed that the rates of infection for newer Microsoft operating systems with the latest service packs are consistently lower than those for older OSes. This makes Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 the most secured Microsoft Windows operating systems.

When analyzing these data, it looks like the number of reported infections per 1000 computers for Windows 7 64-bit is the lowest (at 2.5), and the Microsoft Windows 7 32-bit had a 3.8.

When we take a look at Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), the value is 15.9 per 1000 computers, and Windows XP SP2 had a value of 19.3 (the highest number of infections). If we compare the numbers, it seems that Windows 7 is about 4 to 5 times more secure than Windows XP.

Even Windows Vista had a smaller number of infections than Windows XP, though that value was double that of Windows 7.

It has also been observed the 64-bit versions of Windows 7 and Windows Vista have been infected less than the 32-bit versions. Microsoft says that it`s mainly due to 2 reasons. Microsoft says that the 64-bit version is mostly used by experienced users, who have better knowledge on how to secure their operating systems. The other reason suggested is that Windows 64-bit has a special feature called Kernel Patch Protection, which protects the Windows kernel from unauthorized changes.

Now, the same fact is seen for the server-based systems. Windows Sever 2003 (has both 32-bit and 64-bit versions) had 5.8 infections per 1000 computers, while Windows Server 2008 R2 (only 64-bit edition) had only 3.6 infections.

Security holes in applications versus those in operating systems or Web browsers accounted for most of the vulnerabilities last year, according to Microsoft. However, the total number of holes found in applications fell 22.2 percent from 2009. But exploits that take advantage of Java vulnerabilities rose dramatically in last year's third quarter, surpassing every other category, the report noted.

With all these facts, Microsoft claims that Windows 7 is 4 to 5 times more secure than Windows XP. However, some say that it`s only for promoting Windows 7 and cause users to buy them. I personally use Windows 7 and it seems to be better than Windows XP.

But, what is your opinion? What do you think after analyzing the chart? And what do you think about Windows 7 and Windows XP? Share your thoughts with us. Share this post on Microsoft: Windows 7 5 times more secure than Windows XP