Safety of Windows XP in Fusion

[UNCMo96]

I have Windows XP in fusion for only one purpose: running Quicken. (I haven't found any software that I like as much on the mac. I've tried the alternatives but most wouldn't bring over the years of data I have correctly).

I do not surf the web on XP. However, Quicken does electronically connect to accounts to pull the financial data. If I'm not going online other than this should I worry?

 

[maflynn]

You're fine, the security updates that MS stopped with are those for when you surf and come across websites with malicious code, or you download a trojan or virus.

The less connected you are to the internet the safer the computer is.

 

[chrfr]

I do not surf the web on XP. However, Quicken does electronically connect to accounts to pull the financial data. If I'm not going online other than this should I worry?

Yes, you should worry. Why would you trust that your financial data won't be compromised by using an unsupported and unpatched operating system? This is the most important data to protect!

 

[hiddenmarkov]

Yes, you should worry. Why would you trust that your financial data won't be compromised by using an unsupported and unpatched operating system? This is the most important data to protect!

in op they state its not a surfing vm, it only runs quicken. quicken will work within an ssl framework. barring verisign/symanctec giving out their say bank's 3rd party cert to a completer stranger they will be doing secure transactions pretty much most of the time.


Also if like parallels (I use parallells but I' be surprised if fusion does not do this, its common and even free stuff like virtual box does it) op has the option to limit access to the vm. I know with with parallels and how I have guest vm networking set up you are aren't getting to my vm's unless the host.

Basic example is I run a cent os test/dev lamp in vm on my mbp. Way my networking is setup is even the website hosted is only accessible by the mbp host. Even a say Ipad on same network segment cannot hit the site.

 

[chrfr]

in op they state its not a surfing vm, it only runs quicken. quicken will work within an ssl framework. barring verisign/symanctec giving out their say bank's 3rd party cert to a completer stranger they will be doing secure transactions pretty much most of the time.

Theoretically, yes, that's true. Until last week we thought OpenSSL was secure. If a new exploit like that exists in XP, it won't be fixed.

The best approach to using Quicken in XP is to keep networking disabled and use a more secure browser in OS X to download the financial files manually, then copy them into the virtual environment.

 

[Altemose]

I have Windows XP in fusion for only one purpose: running Quicken. (I haven't found any software that I like as much on the mac. I've tried the alternatives but most wouldn't bring over the years of data I have correctly).

I do not surf the web on XP. However, Quicken does electronically connect to accounts to pull the financial data. If I'm not going online other than this should I worry?

There are security holes like the SSL issue mentioned by chrfr. You may want to look at migrating to Quicken for Mac if it does what you want. I would imagine it would let you bring your data over.