Homeland Security Urges Windows Users to Dump QuickTime Over Security Concerns

One of Apple’s longest running software packages is posing a great danger to Windows users according to the Department of Homeland Security. The agency announced that QuickTime, a once popular program for playing audio and video clips, had several egregious security flaws in its latest Windows version. The largest vulnerabilities allow criminals to potentially hack into QuickTime-enabled computers through malware or disguised websites.

The danger is described by Homeland Security as, “Computer systems running unsupported software are exposed to elevated cybersecurity dangers, such as increased risks of malicious attacks or electronic data loss. Exploitation of QuickTime for Windows vulnerabilities could allow remote attackers to take control of affected systems.”

While security holes can often be fixed through patches from the manufacturer, Apple dropped support for Windows QuickTime in January. The company has not issued any updates since, and seems to have no plans to do so.

The department also specified in no uncertain terms that Windows users should stop using QuickTime immediately, writing on their site:

“Computers running QuickTime for Windows will continue to work after support ends. However, using unsupported software may increase the risks from viruses and other security threats. Potential negative consequences include loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data, as well as damage to system resources or business assets. The only mitigation available is to uninstall QuickTime for Windows. Users can find instructions for uninstalling QuickTime for Windows on the Apple Uninstall QuickTime.”