With two major ransomware outbreaks within a very short period, the need to upgrade from older, insecure versions of Windows to the latest version of the operating system has been realized by all. For most users in developing countries such as India, the pricing of the OS still remains an issue. However, the country's chief of cybersecurity has now revealed that Microsoft has agreed to give a one-time discount for Windows 10 upgrades in the country.
According to a Reuters report, Gulshan Rai, India's cybersecurity coordinator has disclosed that the government had contacted Microsoft officials in India immediately after the WannaCry outbreak for a convenient price for users and businesses to upgrade to Windows 10. The government is said to have demanded "throw-away prices" for Microsoft's latest software. Microsoft has not issued any official statement about its plans, but Rai expects the company to announce the one-time discounted price in a couple of days.
India is home to millions of pirated Windows installations which do not receive security updates and act as breeding grounds for viruses and other forms of malware. An inexpensive option to upgrade to Windows 10 will give many users a chance to clean up their act and be protected from widespread attacks such as WannaCry and Petya.
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