Security Solutions for Windows XP?

[chane]

Microsoft Security Essentials support died when XP's did.
https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2429423,00.asp

Here http://www.tomsguide.com/answers/id-3506450/lightweight-free-working-antivirus-windows.html some XP user was running this for protection http://www.immunet.com/index#home but it apparently no longer supports XP.
http://www.immunet.com/faq

As I would like to get another six months or so of use out of XP, is it too silly to ask if there are any credible security software? Would this be about the safest bet and without being too resource hungry? https://www.avg.com/en-us/windows-xp-antivirus

 

[mdram]

best solution, get rid of xp

 

[Thebobo]

Besides captain obvious I would say if it still runs on XP should be ok. I'm no expert though. I'm sure there are lot of people still using XP, maybe find a users group?

 

[lxskllr]

I wouldn't use anything. I'd harden the browser and practice safe computing generally.

 

[Thebobo]

I wouldn't use anything. I'd harden the browser and practice safe computing generally.

Seriously, good advice.

 

[Lanyap]

I was using Panda Antivirus Free for an old XP machine up until a few months ago.

https://www.pandasecurity.com/usa/homeusers/solutions/free-antivirus/

 

[Rifter]

Airgap it from rest of network and dont let it anywhere near the internet is my suggestion.

Also, most XP era hardware is well supported in some of the LTS linux distros. So if you want this PC on the internet i would look into installing a linux distro on it.

 

[crashtech]

Put Linux on it, then run XP in a VM?

 

[Plar]

I think any system can hack. It all depends on time and professionalism. I recommend working with the most reliable sources. This is controversial because in our time there are no really reliable sources.

 

[PliotronX]

I hate AVG , would try Comodo before it. I don't know if it works on XP, but 360 total security keeps this one lady's computer clean (win7) who had been notorious for infecting it constantly. Havent had a cleanup call from her since installing it two years ago.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Put Linux on it, then run XP in a VM?

That won't change a thing as far as a worm, virus, or hacker etc is concerned it's still an XP machine whether it's virtual or not. Though it will make it easier to roll back if it gets hacked.

If it absolutely has to run XP, I would just make sure it does not face the internet, and is isolated from the rest of the network. I guess a VM would be useful in that sense as you could run a Pfsense VM in front, and then put the XP VM behind it. Then only open the ports (at pfsense end) that are required for both in/out traffic. I would keep it as a separate physical machine that is dedicated to that function and basically treated it like an appliance. Keep an image of the physical hard drive (VMs and all) for safekeeping.

Most Windows antivirus programs suck now, so I would not bother with that, as long as the machine just sits there and does it's one dedicated task and is secure from the outside, it will be fine.

 

[DigDog]

Unless you got a 500+ users intranet that relies on legacy systems, there is no reason to be on XP anymore.

 

[crashtech]

Unless you got a 500+ users intranet that relies on legacy systems, there is no reason to be on XP anymore.

Yeah, true. it's a little interesting to me to hear what other people would do if they HAD to do it, though. I have a piece of legacy software with lots of old client info on it that I sometimes fire up within a VM, it's on XP. I have a copy of it on my desktop, in the cloud and also on a stick in a safe deposit box.

 

[Plar]

You will not be able to provide complete security in any way. Try changing software.

 

[bruceb]

Avast Free Antivirus will still install on Windows XP .. you should have SP3 installed and it is better if you use the Full Off Line Installer ... Avast says the next release in January will not run on XP but they will still continue virus definition updates for the older versions.

 

[IJTSSG]

Install Bit 9 or a similar whitelisting solution.