Obviously, users who knowingly use pirated versions of Windows 7 will not apply the optional update, but what about those who think their Windows 7 is legitimate? Well, those who think their Windows 7 is legitimate might still shy away from the update because they don’t see any value–to them rather than Microsoft–in identifying that fact.

That might be true to an extent, however, that super-cheap upgrade to Windows 7 might come with some extra bells and whistles you didn’t plan on. “Media Surveillance, an anti-piracy solutions company based in Germany, recently downloaded more than five hundred pirated copies of Windows 7 (and Windows activation exploits) and found that 32% contained malicious code.”

Part of the apprehension by users is based on not wanting to end up paying twice for Windows 7–once for the counterfeit copy, and again to replace it. A Microsoft spokesperson addressed that issue. “Microsoft does have a program to help customers who are victims of software piracy. Additionally the company will sometimes provide a free or discounted version of Windows to customers who report counterfeit products.

Microsoft encourages customers –enterprise, consumer, or SMB – who feel they have been victimized, to report their experience through piracy@microsoft.com or via Microsoft’s How To Tell Web site, here: http://www.microsoft.com/howtotell/reports/report.aspx“

Of course Windows 7 will face attacks in 2010.

Windows 7 is the most secure desktop operating system yet created–at least by Microsoft. It is significant quantum leap more secure than Windows XP, which still claims the majority of the desktop market share.

That said, Windows 7 is also the fastest-selling operating system to date–at least by Microsoft. It is the flagship operating system of Microsoft and it that, by default, paints a bullseye on its back.

Granted, attackers will also be focusing more on low-hanging fruit like Adobe, or on cross-platform attacks like Web-based exploits, but Microsoft holds a dominant share of the desktop, office productivity, and Web browser markets so attackers in search of the largest possible pool of victims will always look to exploit flaws in Microsoft software.

A blog post citing statements from Swedish security software developer Lavasoft, makers of Adaware, claims that 2010 will see a shift in attacks and malware techniques to adapt to the improved security of Windows 7. The post stresses that Microsoft will continue to be the focal point of most malware due to its overwhelming presence, but that rising use of Ubuntu and Mac OS X could lead to an increase in attacks targeting those OS’s as well.

I would argue that Ubuntu and Mac OS X are still far from being worth a malware developer’s time. The combined total market share of all Mac OS X versions, and all versions of Linux- including Ubuntu- combined is about six percent. Linux makes up only one percent of the OS market, so no matter how much Ubuntu may seem to be gaining, its share is still irrelevant.

It is sort of a no-brainer that attackers will seek to crack Windows 7′s armor. That is hardly a revelation. I expect there will be a success or two on that front and we’ll see some malware targeted specifically at Windows 7. With more cloud-based services, and the ubuquitous nature of Web browsing across all operating systems and all platforms- desktops, laptops, netbooks, mobile phones, etc.- attackers will pay extra attention to Web-based exploits.