End of life notice for Windows XP

Microsoft will no longer be releasing security updates for their most successful and well received operating system to date.

Today was the last official day of support for Microsoft's 12 year old Operating System, Windows XP.

The end of support for XP doesn't mean that you can't and shouldn't continue to use the OS, but it's important to consider the risks of doing so.

Risks

Your computer over time will become more vulnerable to security threats as security patches will not be released to fix known security holes in the OS. You could also fall out of compliance on security standards, especially if you handle credit card data.

Reduce your exposure

The most obvious way is to upgrade your OS or PC. In some cases your software, particularly in manufacturing, makes this impractical or impossible. The risk can be mitigated by continuing to use tools such as Antivirus, Webproxy's and Firewalls. Ensuring your local Windows firewall is enable will also provide a significant boost to security.

Need advice? Contact your account manager.

References:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/lifecycle

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/end-support-help