Putin reportedly uses Windows XP, which is vulnerable to hackers

Russian President Vladimir Putin should update the operating system on his computer. Photos released by the Kremlin showed his computer running an outdated version of Windows, according to The Guardian.

The photos showed Putin's computer was running Windows XP, an operating system that Microsoft stopped updating in 2014, making it more vulnerable to hacking. The risk isn't just theoretical, either. In 2017, ransomware attacked more than 20,000 victims, including the UK's National Health Service, which was using outdated Windows XP software. Hospitals had to close, and operations were even canceled.

Despite the track record of vulnerabilities, Windows XP still had a 2.29% global market share among operating systems as of November, according to NetMarketShare.

The Guardian said the photos showed Putin used Windows XP in his Kremlin office and Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow. The Russian news website Open Media reported that the Russia's Internet Protection Society head confirmed that the photos showed Windows XP running on both computers.

Putin is known to distrust the internet, and this attitude is making its way into Russian law. In May, he signed a bill allowing the government to create a Russia-only internet with a new domain-name system meant to guard against hacks — a much more drastic step than upgrading old software. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Russia was setting up its own online encyclopedia in place of Wikipedia. A law set to take effect in July will require all smartphones, smart TVs, and computers to come with Russian software preinstalled.

The Kremlin did not respond to a request for comment.