I'm glad I saw this on youtube and looked into it. On March 12th, a pervasive exploit has been used with variations on malware called WannaCry, WannaCrypt, and so on. It makes users pay in bitcoins to unencrypt their data. (and made using stolen NSA data!) It spreads through suspcious emails, but it additionally spreads through any computers on a network. Businesses have been hit worldwide. Microsoft even made a patch for XP, even though they don't support it anymore. That's how big it is. I found a link to Microsoft's Windows 7 patch site, I suggest you do the same. I'm already paranoid about big virus type things, and now I'm concerned about turning on my XP for fear of what would happen... how do I turn off the internet for my XP again? Anyway here's the link. http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4012212

If you updated to the current version of Windows, you should be fine.

I wanna cry (get it?) because of this ransomware. Fortunately I have a Mac, and if you are stuck on XP because Micro$oft only cares about $, I believe that the patch is still necessary. But honestly, why are still so attached to that 16 year old OS, and why do people still use it?

[quote="SMBXfan"]I wanna cry (get it?) because of this ransomware. Fortunately I have a Mac, and if you are stuck on XP because Micro$oft only cares about $, I believe that the patch is still necessary. But honestly, why are still so attached to that 16 year old OS, and why do people still use it?[/quote] Most likely because of the interface and the nostalgia, it had.

There are many reasons why people - individuals, businesses, hospitals, and government organizations - continue to use Windows XP: [list][*]They don't have the money to upgrade their systems (either because they don't have the money, or because they're an organization with "penny wise, pound foolish" managers who refuse to allocate funds for modernizing their technology). [*]They have older applications that run only on Windows XP, and there's no satisfactory substitute available. [*]Inertia: They don't like the hassle and cost of changing.[/list] These aren't good reasons for using Windows XP for mission-critical operations, but they are reasons.

[quote="VinnyVideo"]These aren't good reasons for using Windows XP for mission-critical operations, but they are reasons.[/quote] If you get hit by this because you're running on XP, that really is your own fault, though. It's been more than a decade now since the release of Vista, that's plenty of time to upgrade.

[quote="Vertette"] If you get hit by this because you're running on XP, that really is your own fault, though. It's been more than a decade now since the release of Vista, that's plenty of time to upgrade.[/quote] Even Vista is already dead and obsolete.

Microsoft actually released a patch for XP in response to this virus just for large organizations who haven't made the switch yet. That's a really cool thing to do. Also the restaurant I work at JUST upgraded from Windows 2000 to Windows 10 a couple of weeks ago.

[quote="SMBXfan"][quote="Vertette"] If you get hit by this because you're running on XP, that really is your own fault, though. It's been more than a decade now since the release of Vista, that's plenty of time to upgrade.[/quote] Even Vista is already dead and obsolete.[/quote] I would go so far as to say that 7 is nearing its death bed. A loooot of people still use it, though.

Good thing is, I AM ON WINDOWS 8.1. And my PC was never encrypted in such a very bad way like Wannacrypt did. But yes, I watched Danooct1's explanation on Wannacrypt. I remember him using Windows 10 (for the VM), and Wannacrypt still affects the VM. (EXPLOIT!) I felt like the title is a pun when I first heard of it. Wanna Crypt your PC? is what first came to my head. I even saw it on TV!