Microsoft says Windows 64bit is safer

[Peaches]

Microsoft says Windows 64bit is safer

Hackers still focus on 32-bit versions

Gregg Keizer

Microsoft claims Windows users running 64-bit versions of the operating system are less likely to get infected by attack code.

However, an outside security researcher claimed that just because attacks are less likely it doesn't mean users won't get infected.

"64bit Windows has some of the lowest reported malware infection rates in the first half of 2009," said Joe Faulhaber of the Microsoft Malware Protection Center in a post to the group's blog.

"64-bit malware is still exceedingly rare in the wild."

According to Microsoft's data, the 64bit version of Windows XP was 48 percent less likely to be infected than the 32bit edition during the first half of 2009; PCs running Vista 64bit, meanwhile, were 35 percent less likely to be infected than Vista 32bit.

Read more on this topic at PC Advisor - http://www.pcadvisor...potlight=8820:p