Q: Can I continue to use Windows XP safely if I install the for-pay version of Malwarebytes, which is now considered to be antivirus software?
William Parks, Newmanstown, Pa.
A: Readers periodically ask whether they can continue to use the obsolete Windows XP operating system. This is a reasonable question, considering that XP is still used by about 7 percent of all PCs.
The best answer is no. You shouldn't continue to use Windows XP, which was introduced in 2001, because it no longer receives security updates from Microsoft (they were discontinued in 2014.) And XP has already proved to be vulnerable to internet security threats. Microsoft issued an emergency security patch for XP in 2017 after a widespread ransomware attack, in which PC data was encrypted and only released if the user paid a fee.
But can you safely use Windows XP if you take precautions? Yes, but so many precautions are required that most people would find it easier to switch to a newer operating system.
Most advice for Windows XP users has revolved around halfhearted protective measures that might or might not work — install all available XP updates, use current antivirus software and avoid using the old (and flawed) XP-compatible versions of the Internet Explorer browser.
But a more comprehensive list of protective measures has been compiled by a former IBM engineer (see tinyurl.com/mno32gl). He said these precautions will make XP safe for another two to three years. After that there probably won't be any XP-compatible software that still receives security updates. His list includes:
• Never download anything.