‘Infections’ Up 71% on Windows 7, Phishing Attacks More ‘Personalized,’ Says Webroot

Windows 7 is becoming an increasingly “riskier” operating system, with “infections” up 71 percent between January and June compared with July through December 2018, reported Webroot Tuesday. Of all infected PCs, 64 percent were home computers, “likely because home users aren't protected by corporate firewalls and security policies and may not be updated as regularly,” said the cybersecurity company. It found phishing lures are becoming “increasingly personalized” as more personal information is collected from data breaches. Hackers “take advantage of familiarity and context, and result in unwarranted trust,” said Webroot. “Businesses and consumers need to be aware of and continually educate themselves about these evolving methods and risks to protect their data and devices.” Microsoft didn’t comment.