AstroSkipper

How to secure Windows XP in 2026 - A multi-layered security strategy It is now July 2026. Since Panda Security – either unintentionally or perhaps deliberately – rendered its Panda Dome programme unusable on Windows XP from 2 July onwards due to faulty automatic updates, there are, in practical terms, hardly any anti-malware programmes with real-time protection left for this operating system supported by both programme and definition updates. Almost all well-known manufacturers of antivirus and antimalware programmes have discontinued support for Windows XP over the years. It is therefore of the utmost importance, first and foremost, to persuade Panda to correct its update routine on the server side. Windows XP enthusiasts can exert considerable influence here by reporting all issues with Panda Dome to the support team. Only if many people do this is there a realistic chance that anything might change in this regard yet. I really shouldn’t care, since I'm actually done with Panda. In any case, Windows XP users must realise that comprehensive security suites, as they used to be, practically no longer exist. System protection must therefore be organised differently. You have to build and organise it yourself using various tools that must work together harmoniously. Layer by layer, so to speak. What do you need for a secure Windows XP system? Windows XP SP3 with all essential components and available updates. Backup system: A fully functional backup system that regularly creates partition images. Firewall: A very good firewall that monitors all network traffic, including all incoming and outgoing connections, even those from Windows XP system components. Real-time protection: A programme that runs in memory, detects and reports threats. Process manager: Located in the taskbar. Startup manager: A good startup manager. On-demand scanners: One, or better still several, good on-demand scanners with a disinfection feature. Browser: An up-to-date browser with an ad blocker. Certificates: Up-to-date root certificates. And, of course, common sense. And if anyone now claims that this is impossible, I’ll respond directly: I’ve configured my Windows XP system exactly like this and haven’t had a single infection in 25 years. Windows XP is still my main operating system alongside Android. Cheers, AstroSkipper

Comodo Antivirus 12.0.0.6870 - The last version for Windows XP FYI, Comodo Antivirus 12.0.0.6818 is not, in fact, the latest version compatible with Windows XP. Furthermore, it contains various bugs that have been fixed in the actual latest version targeting Windows XP. It is Comodo Antivirus 12.0.0.6870: And in fact, even more bugs have been fixed than those listed in the release notes. Here are some screenshots: This version runs smoothly, quickly and light on resources, and the online updates are working again, of course only after fixing myself, without any errors either. Therefore, this will be my final antimalware programme for Windows XP . I do regret not having revived this antimalware programme sooner.

Eloquentia non est tua vis. And a few other things as well. Only people who are verbally impoverished resort to insults. BTW, nice image, is it supposed to become your new avatar?

Did I say that? No. I said it is not Android related. No more, no less. And the problem is of course that I CAN SEE ME. That never happened before.

And it is not Android related. Here is a screenshot taken from New Moon 28 on my beloved, old Windows XP computer:

Ok. You can't see my username but I can as of today. If I open another browser where I'm not logged into my account, I can't see my username, either. So something must have changed.

For example, this page here:

Not working for me. My setting was 'Hidden" for years. But as of today, I can suddenly see my username. That has never happened before.

As of today, I can see my username right at the bottom of the relevant page, even though I’ve disabled this in my account settings. What on earth is going on now, apart from the MSFN outages that have been going on for over a week? Is this supposed to be a new feature, or has the forum software gone completely haywire?

@Dave-H As you haven’t said anything about the suggestion I put forward so far, I’d like to know whether that’s an option for you, or whether limiting the online updates isn’t an option. You can always restore the cache folder once Panda support gets back to you, though I don’t really expect that to happen.

But if anyone now thinks that Comodo actively supports Windows XP, they are very much mistaken. This company is still advertising Windows XP compatibility, specifically here https://antivirus.comodo.com/security/windows-xp-free-antivirus.php, but for years now, the installer provided has no longer been compatible with XP. It’s completely misleading and simply sloppy. Comodo discontinued support for Windows XP in 2019. Now it’s down entirely to the creativity of Windows XP users to breathe new life into old, discontinued versions. And exactly that was what I did.

At the moment, I am very satisfied with CAV and Vir.IT as both use offline definition files. Comodo's definition file base.cav is nearly 640 MB in size and therefore much pattern inside.

Of course, only there is a limit of RAM memory size.

Long story short, I have revived Comodo Antivirus 12.0.0.6818 (CAV) as part of the Comodo Internet Security suite (CIS) since it was no longer working out of the box. It's one of the last working antimalware programmes with real-time protection, HIPS, VirusScope, secure containmenr, online definition updates, even incremental definition updates, and the possibility of offline updating. This is now my new antimalware programme. And Vir.IT of course. All free of charge.

It’s clear and obvious that Panda stopped supporting Windows XP for programme updates quite some time ago. The latest version is 22.03.05, nearly one year ago, and that was a long time ago. But to then go and break even that version via the automatic update – that’s a no-go. And in doing so put the user’s partition at risk.

What kind of memory are you referring to? RAM or hard disk/SSD memory? 🤔 On my old P4 machine, Vir.IT eXplorer Lite is the antimalware programme that uses the least RAM of all. Avast, on the other hand, was a monster. 🦖😜

@Dave-H If you absolutely want to stick with Panda – presumably because you still have a valid licence – then I’d uninstall it completely, give everything a thorough clean, then reinstall it, but without allowing any connection to the internet. Then set the cache folder to read-only for everyone, especially for the System account, or if that doesn’t work, delete it completely. Then set all your exclusions and only then connect to the internet. No updates must be carried out locally. Perhaps it will then run stably. But to be honest, this isn’t of course a good workaround, as it unfortunately results in a loss of functionality. Personally, I’m done with Panda and would only go back if an official fix has been released or the update server has been corrected.

This absolutely confirms what I’ve already said here and what many other customers have reported across the web. At first glance, Panda Support seems great, but on closer inspection it’s a joke. For home users, it’s practically non-existent. They probably focus more on enterprise customers. Money makes the world go round.

It remains free but after the period of 60 days, the removal of malware is no longer possible. If you need this feature, you have to buy a license. That's ok for me. I personally do not need this feature.

OK. Patient number 12.0.0.6818 from 2019 has been resuscitated and is eating again. „Oops!... I Did It Again“ ...

As I already said, it is no longer time to be picky when it comes to real-time protection under Windows XP. And of course, I read such reports about IOBit Malware Fighter. I personally never liked the IOBit company. Their products have never really been any good. And in the case of IOBit Malware Fighter, I can see why. The positives: Easy to install. A clearly structured, very tidy and modern interface. Good usability. Lots of features not usually found in freeware. Excellent uninstallation speed. The negatives: No daily updates as advertised. Today, it’s still installing the version from 9 July. Not really integrated efficiently into Windows XP. When the protection is activated, performance plummets. Version 13 is constantly being promoted, and you’re told to download it, even though it’s not compatible with Windows XP. No self-protection. The scan speed is so poor that I’m lost for words... The scanning speed is the absolute worst I have ever experienced. Smart Scan was cancelled after 123,226 files!!! and 120 minutes!!! with only 5% progress!!! This is no Smart Scan. I then uninstalled it completely. The uninstallation was done in seconds. That just goes to show how poorly the programme was integrated into Windows XP. It was practically just a superficial add-on. And it can even be shut down completely with just two clicks. That’s a goldmine for malware. My conclusion: Looks great on the outside, but a flop on the inside. P.S.: And that’s the good thing about my ancient P4 computer. It mercilessly exposes the weaknesses of software.

New Moon, Serpent or Mypal are a nightmare without uBO. And the forum editor is a nightmare, anyways. I already again reported that some weeks ago. There have been many such reports in the past.

Thank you for providing the data! Which version have you tested? Free or Pro?

... 12.5 is for XP no doubt. However I already threw it off my box because it's too cut-down. This statement is not really true. Although IOBit Malware Fighter Pro 12.5 can still be installed strangely enough under Windows XP, it says that this version is not compatible with Windows XP, if the user tries to enable real-time malware protection with IObit & Bitdefender engines or advanced protection against ransomware. It also advises to install IOBit Malware Fighter Pro 11.4 as the last XP-compatible version. And so, after all, this is what applies:

@Tangy But the good is VirIT eXplorer Lite is already a perfect offline scanner with a huge local database. And you can send malicious files to C.R.A.M. at any time. And for disinfection you can use, for example, RogueKiller Free. BTW, Adlice has rebranded RogueKiller Anti-Malware to Adlice Protect which is now compatible with Windows 7 and up only. So, hurry up to get the last XP-compatible version!