There’s not much reason to have QuickTime on a Windows rig in this day and age, because there are so many better options for watching video. That's why Apple has stopped updating it. And since a lack of updates means a lack of protection—including against two active vulnerabilities—you need to dump it. Like, today. Like, now.
The two vulnerabilities were reported by Trend Micro, and will never be patched. In parable terms, it’s like having a hole in the dike, and instead of using his finger to stop it up, the little Dutch boy has left for college. Trend Micro says there are no active attacks that exploit the vulnerability yet, but now that they’re public—and that Apple is publicly done with QuickTime for Windows—it’s wise to take preemptive action.
If for some reason you need QuickTime for Windows in your life, against all better judgment, both of the vulnerabilities spotted by Trend Micro “would require a user to visit a malicious web page or open a malicious file to exploit them,” according to the company’s post on the subject. So be extra vigilant about phishing emails.
Sound implausible that there are that many people this might affect? It's not. More than 10 percent of desktop computers worldwide still run Windows XP, according to Net Applications. And Microsoft hasn’t offered official security updates for that operating system in over two years. There are more stragglers out there than one might think.
If you’re a QuickTime user, or if you know one, please spread the word: No more QuickTime on Windows. And if you’re not sure how to get rid of it, just go to the Start icon, click on the Control Panel, then Programs, then Programs and Features. Select QuickTime, and then click Uninstall.
And that’s it! You can go back to having a relatively worry-free Windows experience, at least until the next big exploit comes along.
