Another major dev may have quietly dropped Win XP support

[dsan@mail.com]

....Still, i have no idea how exactly you get malware on your system, the notorious disinformation everywhere leads me to the conclusion the people writing about it mostly have no idea either, or it's intended not to inform the users.

To give you a possibility, let's say there is a main computer connected to the internet. Via router you have 4 others connected via home network.

While one user understands the risks and takes precautions, the others connected may not and so visit suspect sites, innocently or not, wherever/whatever they may be.

Without some form of protection on it all other computers on the network become at risk.

In my case, I have a computer (my internet computer) hard wired to such router. It has virus protection.

Via a hub, my two other computers (DAW W7 and an XP machine) are networked to the internet computer. They are now at risk; even though they are not directly connected to the home network but rather a secondary network connecting the aformentioned 3 computers (one of which is connected to the home network).

So one day, I wake my internet connected computer to find a "FBI" screen warning me I have been locked out of my computer and will have to follow instructions (send money of course) to get my computer back to working order.

I do not recall the name of this virus, however, upon investigation it, obviously, turns out to be fradulent and attaches itself in many ways (most often to pictures, word documents, etc.). It was a rootkit virus that Norton did not detect and block. I have no idea how it came in and got through (proving your point chk071)

Fortunately, malwarebytes was able to remove this and even more fortunate, my other computers seem to be unaffected. Still, I have concerns whether or not they are. I'm particularly concerned about key trackers.

Perhaps it is the cynic in me that causes the [somewhat] paranoia. Again, due to my cynisism, I sometimes wonder if the same people providing the security solutions are not the same people providing the cause for the solution. Just a theory of course, however plausible, with no way to prove. I Love conspiracy theories

Hopefully chk071 you now understand better how one could get infected with malware. It is so easy to happen and regardless how much one may prepare for such an event.

@Frantz - thank you for the reply. That was helpful information you provided.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[Frantz]

So one day, I wake my internet connected computer to find a "FBI" screen warning me I have been locked out of my computer and will have to follow instructions (send money of course) to get my computer back to working order.

This is called CryptoLocker. It is very problematic. It encrypts your computer files and there is no way to decrypt the files without paying the ransom. Ideally you would reinstall Windows and restore everything from backup.

Possible vulnerabilities on my home network is something I also have to look into. I know what I am doing but my wife does not. It can be addressed via router settings and firewalls.

[robogone]

I generally solve that problem by not having internet access with Windows 8 and doing all my internet related stuff with Ubuntu Linux.

[metamorphosis]

No, it may not be Cryptolocker, there are tons of these FBI scams that've been around before cryptolocker. Collectively known as ransomware.
Reinstalling windows is not the only option, download, pay for and make a USB key with HitmanPro on another machine, boot off of that USB key and you should be able to fix the problem.

I see no reasons for dev's not to support XP other than sheer bullheadedness. We know it's still on just under the majority of the worlds machines, and that there is a huge enthusiast market outside of studios which use it.

[ew]

My old Midisport interface doesn't run on anything later than XP so I had to buy a new interface.

?

There's drivers for W7 and every Midisport interface on the M-Audio site. The one thing you DON'T have is the remote mapping app for the 8x8. My Midisport 8x8 was working fine on W7x64 until it finally bit the dust, but it was 12 years old; it was bound to die sometime.

ew

[Ghostwave]

I haven't read everything but I think it's wrong of developers to drop XP support for a free .5 upgrade.
Reason 7 dropping XP support is fine since it's a paid upgrade and XP/Reason 6.5 users are not entitled to anything.
But Spectrasonics dropping it now? I'd feel a bit cheated (if I owned Omnisphere) as I would have sort of paid for something I can't use.

And before you ask, I'm still using XP but for 2 reasons only: 1) I can't be bothered reinstalling everything when my computer is running perfectly well and 2) the Focusrite Liquid Mix drivers are broken on Win7.

Still, an interesting thread.

[dsan@mail.com]

My old Midisport interface doesn't run on anything later than XP so I had to buy a new interface.

?

There's drivers for W7 and every Midisport interface on the M-Audio site. The one thing you DON'T have is the remote mapping app for the 8x8. My Midisport 8x8 was working fine on W7x64 until it finally bit the dust, but it was 12 years old; it was bound to die sometime.

ew

I wish that were true for my Music Quest 8Port/SE and my 10x Digidesign interface. I loved those things and they are now just dust collectors in my rack.

Sorry to hear yours bit the dust ew!

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[cron]

I've found the most important thing when it comes to keeping my machine virus free is keeping the Flash player up to date (fortunately Flash is rolled into Chrome now making it less of an issue). It's a while since I've had a virus, but they've all arrived via dodgy Flash ads. On perfectly legitimate and popular sites too. Compromise an ad server and every site using it becomes a vector. I've also got Ad-Block installed. I do feel a little guilty about using it as it deprives many sites of income, but given my past experiences I see it as being no less important than my anti-virus.

Good security practice involves so much more than just avoiding dodgy executables these days.

For what it's worth, I'm using Windows 8.1 and I'm one of the seemingly few people who loves it. Felt like my dad for the first week or so, but I'd find it difficult to go back now. It's speedy, stable, and streamlined; everything I want in an OS.

[SODDI]

And that is (drumroll)...Spectrasonics

They just released an update to Omnisphere 1.5 and it has an error when trying to install on Win XP 32, and lo and behold it says Win 7/Vista required in the release notes.

If you got XP and your gear running and you can keep them running, more power to you. As you just said, you may be missing out on upgrades and new gear, but if your current instruments run well then so what.

It's about the music, not the OS.

[chk071]

@ dsan: I'm still wondering a little... how does the actual malware get onto your computer? Via remote access, so someone takes over the computer, loads and installs the malware on it, getting remote access through some security vulnerability in Windows? And if so, is that even possible, if you're behind a router and/or a firewall, and if you have, like in my case, deactivated all background services releated to remote access? For me, that's the important point, how does it get onto your computer.

Edit: Sorry, overread that:

I have no idea how it came in and got through

[dsan@mail.com]

@ dsan: I'm still wondering a little... how does the actual malware get onto your computer? Via remote access, so someone takes over the computer, loads and installs the malware on it, getting remote access through some security vulnerability in Windows? And if so, is that even possible, if you're behind a router and/or a firewall, and if you have, like in my case, deactivated all background services releated to remote access? For me, that's the important point, how does it get onto your computer.

Edit: Sorry, overread that:

I have no idea how it came in and got through

I will hazard a guess, and I emphasize guess since there are so many possibilities, I doubt it came in through remote access (but that is a scary thought!).

It may have happened the way cron suggests, through ads via Flash (cause that is one prone program to malware!), or who knows? I may have opened a pdf file that had a virus attached or a Word document; so many possibilities.

The only way it arrived though is that the protection software (Norton 360) did not have it flagged in the definitions file. Just one of those "at the moment" things that happen I suppose.

Still, not comforting to know that you cannot rely on what you have paid for.

Bottom line is, IMO, no matter what steps you take there is no guarantee the thieves will not find a way in. You just do the best you can and go on.

Yes, IMO, your scenarios are valid. You are vulnerable no matter what you do, IF, they want to get to you.

I'm curious how many actually paid to get "released" when they were hit. There are a lot of non-computer savvy people and the predators rely on the uneducated for certain.

Thanks for asking!

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[chk071]

Bottom line is, IMO, no matter what steps you take there is no guarantee the thieves will not find a way in. You just do the best you can and go on.

I guess you're right. Anyway, thanks for describing the problem you had, fortunately, so far, i had the luck to be spared from malware (i think?), but you never know. Had some weird stuff on an old computer using Windows 98 once though which could easily have been a virus.

[dsan@mail.com]

I haven't read everything but I think it's wrong of developers to drop XP support for a free .5 upgrade.
Reason 7 dropping XP support is fine since it's a paid upgrade and XP/Reason 6.5 users are not entitled to anything.
But Spectrasonics dropping it now? I'd feel a bit cheated (if I owned Omnisphere) as I would have sort of paid for something I can't use.

And before you ask, I'm still using XP but for 2 reasons only: 1) I can't be bothered reinstalling everything when my computer is running perfectly well and 2) the Focusrite Liquid Mix drivers are broken on Win7.

Still, an interesting thread.

I sort of agree Karten. On the other hand, we really can't expect devs to continue to support antiquated OS's. I don't say this harshly because XP was probably my favorite OS at the time (when 95, Millineum and DOS were still around).

I miss working with some of my old time favorites because they will not run on Vista or W7 (16 bit software) but at the same time I certainly understand why they are no longer supported (aside from those companies out of business )

The thing we all need to realize is that every EULA I have ever read starts off with "....AS IS..." and "No other warranties are expressed or implied".

What this means to me is that the software will function on the machines with OS's it was designed for and is not future proof.

Expecting devs to support non supported OS's has a cost. The cost is naturally absorbed by the user. I think I would rather invest in the future so it doesn't bother me so much to see or hear my old software will not be supported.

Still, I can understand why these decisions would upset others. The cost of investing in the future is not cheap either!

What are we all going to do when MS OS (W31?) is 128 bit and we have to replace everything?

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[dsan@mail.com]

Bottom line is, IMO, no matter what steps you take there is no guarantee the thieves will not find a way in. You just do the best you can and go on.

I guess you're right. Anyway, thanks for describing the problem you had, fortunately, so far, i had the luck to be spared from malware (i think?), but you never know. Had some weird stuff on an old computer using Windows 98 once though which could easily have been a virus.

That's the problem with malware. You just never know until it's too late.

Actually, we are all pretty lucky probably. Can you imagine if we didn't do the things we do to try to protect ourselves? Wooohooo.

Anyway, I'm not paranoid about this. No need to be. Do what you can to protect yourself and deal with things when they happen.

Back on topic, sorta, I will miss XP for sure. It has been like an old friend. But I really look forward to what future software will bring us and do not blame the devs at all for abandoning old software.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[A.M. Gold]

And that is (drumroll)...Spectrasonics

They just released an update to Omnisphere 1.5 and it has an error when trying to install on Win XP 32, and lo and behold it says Win 7/Vista required in the release notes.

If you got XP and your gear running and you can keep them running, more power to you. As you just said, you may be missing out on upgrades and new gear, but if your current instruments run well then so what.

It's about the music, not the OS.

True, and that has been the case until recently. New NI updates aren't working on XP* and I definitely want to update Omnisphere. They claim there is some kind of aliasing issue when modulating filters that they fixed and that sounds like a pretty big deal.

*SP 2----SP 3 BSOD's my system when I try to install it (every time), so there's one more reason to move on to 7.

Now for the bitch list:

1) I'm a little irritated that the norm that seems as if its being established is that they don't even do any courtesy "outreach" to XP users telling them "We're sorry but we've made the decision to drop XP support completely. You will no longer be able to update the software you paid for which formerly worked on XP". Instead they just release the update that now, lo and behold, doesn't work on the OS that it worked on for years. AFAIK NI did it this way too. Just sort of--- "Oh, sorry, were you using an OS we no longer support? Whoops."

I'll explain a little as to why that's not just whining. IF there is a serious issue with aliasing filters in Ominpshere that needed to be fixed, it was there WHEN I PURCHASED XP COMPATIBLE Ominsphere. Which means, in that respect, I received a broken product that was advertised as running on my OS, but in order to receive a version of it that isn't broken, I now have to change my OS. That's not my fault, it's theirs.

That at least deserves, as a I said, a courtesy outreach, if not an apology from Spectrasonics, and so far they have offered neither.

NOW---all of this is assuming that there isn't some quick fix they may provide to the current installer because maybe it was intended to be backwards compatible and this is just a bug. I don't know but I doubt it.

Bitch No. 2 (and this is purely personal)---I have Win 7 in the box but I'm not going to do a clean install of my entire OS and all my programs more than once s I HAVE to go 64 bit when I upgrade the OS. That may or may not be a big deal, I don't know yet. Not all my valued plug-ins are 64 bit so we are going to be diving down the rabbit hole when this happens. I also have to order more RAM and a new system drive but that's incidental. I have Reaper and supposedly it bridges to 32 bit plug-ins well so I may be alright.

Bottom line is right now I don't have time to do all this but it's been moved much higher up on my agenda list.