Windows XP support has ended!
Apr 27, 2014 15:18:51 GMT -5
Post by Wingman on Apr 27, 2014 15:18:51 GMT -5
Information provided by Quietman7 and askey127
An unsupported version of Windows will no longer receive software updates from Windows Update. These include security updates that can help protect your PC from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software, which can steal your personal information...
Also keep in mind that as with previous outdated operating systems, many software programs will eventually become incompatible as vendors continue to update their products to work with newer Windows versions. This includes major anti-virus and security vendors which at some point will stop providing support to older Windows operating systems. Until such time however, anti-virus definition updates will not do much to protect the system if the underlying OS is outdated and vulnerable to exploit.
* Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7
* Windows 7 system requirements
* Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
* Download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor
More reasons to update:
Criminal hackers, as you might imagine, can't wait until April 8. That's because most consumers are clueless about the true scope of security risks. And thousands of companies, for economic and operational reasons, appear intent on continuing to use XP machines well after Microsoft officially stops supporting XP...Security experts anticipate that cybercriminals will move to take advantage.
Windows XP users six times more likely to be hacked
What is the risk of continuing to run Windows XP after its end of support date? One risk is that attackers will have the advantage over defenders who choose to run Windows XP because attackers will likely have more information about vulnerabilities in Windows XP than defenders...attackers will attempt to develop exploit code that can take advantage of those vulnerabilities on Windows XP. Since a security update will never become available for Windows XP to address these vulnerabilities, Windows XP will essentially have a “zero day” vulnerability forever.
The Risk of Running Windows XP After Support Ends April 2014
...one key finding to surface from the analysis of platforms by encounter rate and infection rate during the past year, was that computers running Windows XP encountered about as much malware as Windows 7. However, Windows XP computers experienced many more infections than other operating systems....
New Security Intelligence Report, new data, new perspectives
While Windows XP SP3 computers encountered almost as much malware as other platforms, computers running Windows XP as a whole experienced a much higher infection rate. For example, although Windows 8 computers may encounter a similar amount of malware as Windows XP, people who use Windows XP are six times more likely get infected.
Infection rates and end of support for Windows XP
ISC Diary: Five good reasons to leave Windows XP behind
Note: For those who have Windows XP and cannot afford a totally new machine: Windows XP - The Elephant In The Room by askey127
Updated information:
MPC Threat Research & Response Blog: Microsoft antimalware support for Windows XP
Microsoft has announced the Windows XP end of support date of April 8, 2014. After this date, Windows XP will no longer be a supported operating system. To help organizations complete their migrations, Microsoft will continue to provide updates to our antimalware signatures and engine for Windows XP users through July 14, 2015. This does not affect the end-of-support date of Windows XP, or the supportability of Windows XP for other Microsoft products, which deliver and apply those signatures.
Microsoft retains weapon to silently scrub XP
Microsoft will be able to silently reach into Windows XP PCs for more than a year after it stops patching the aged OS to clean malware-infected machines, sources close to the company confirmed Friday.
The Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) will continue to be updated and deployed via Windows Update through July 14, 2015, 15 months after the Redmond, Wash. company serves its final public security patches for XP on April 8 of this year.
By extending the life of the MSRT -- and more importantly, automatically running it each month -- Microsoft will be able to clean some PCs if massive malware outbreaks hit Windows XP after it's retired from support....With MSRT, Microsoft will have a weapon at the ready in case widespread malware infections strike XP machines after April 8, something the company has said is likely.
Windows XP end of support in April: Three more questions answered
Q: Will Microsoft cease requiring XP users to activate Windows XP as of April 8, 2014, since support for the product is ending?
A: No. A spokesperson confirmed that activations will still be required for retail installations of Windows XP post April 8. "Windows XP can still be installed and activated after end of support on April 8," the spokesperson noted.
Another update (January 15): For those asking in comments below, Microsoft will continue to make all patches and fixes made to Windows XP up until April 8, 2014, available to users via Windows Update. "There are no current plans to remove existing Windows XP security updates from Windows Update after end of support on April 8, 2014," a spokesperson confirmed.