Microsoft Extends Windows XP Anti-Malware Updates 1 Year
Microsoft will keep Windows XP users protected against malware for an extra year.
Here's good news for all those stubborn Windows XP users who refuse to give in to all the upgrade hype. Microsoft plans to keep supplying anti-malware protection via its various security solutions for another year. The catch is that the programs can't be downloaded once the company pulls the lifeline on Windows XP, so install them right now if they're not installed already.
"For enterprise customers, this applies to System Center Endpoint Protection, Forefront Client Security, Forefront Endpoint Protection and Windows Intune running on Windows XP," reads the company's malware protection center blog. "For consumers, this applies to Microsoft Security Essentials."
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 points out. Instead, the company seemingly acknowledges that consumers and businesses alike may not be totally ready for a complete switch over to a new platform when Microsoft kills support in April.
Still, the company is taking the opportunity to remind customers that the effectiveness of anti-malware solutions on out-of-support operating systems is limited. Running out-of-date software is just plain bad news and bad business.
Of course, for many companies, it's not as simple as moving from Windows XP to Windows 7. They may be using "extremely" old legacy software – running in DOS even – that may not perform well in a newer platform. That said, upgrading may continue to take longer than Microsoft had hoped while customers seek out new solutions (and budgets) to replace their legacy software.
"Our goal is to provide great anti-malware solutions for our consumer and business customers," the blog adds. "We will continue to work with our customers and partners in doing so, and help our customers complete their migrations as Windows XP end of life approaches."
Microsoft will continue to provide updates to its anti-malware signatures and engine for Windows XP users through July 14, 2015.
You're so full of sheet.
http://www.microsoft.com/security/sir/story/default.aspx#!why_upgrade
I liked Windows XP. I did, and I kept with it well into 2007. And then I bought a new upgrade for my PC (new CPU, RAM, the lot)... And then I could feel that XP was holding my PC back. It was. I upgraded to Windows 7, not only did I see my productivity increase (because Windows 7 is way easier to use and less prone to errors), but it was faster, snappier (even on a HDD) and much more secure. I knew XP was an old system (and this was 6-7 years ago, mind you) but that didn't bother me. What did bother me was it was so crappy and slow and unoptimized and hackish. Yeah, I know that's what people say about Windows 7, and it's true! Old systems with new operating systems will feel crappy and sluggish, that's the way of things. But just as much, new systems will feel crappy and bottlenecked with XP.
XP users will stick to whatever they want to stick to. I'll just make sure I take another look at my security measures on MY systems because of all the spam and spyware those XP will start to serve, worldwide.
Also, have fun having your info stolen.