Have you said your goodbye to Windows XP?
A lot of people really like Windows XP, and it remains Microsoft’s second most popular operating system beaten only by Windows 7.
We’re not surprised. Ever since it launched in 2001, XP has worked so well that a lot of people didn’t bother to upgrade to its successor Windows Vista in 2006 or even 2009’s Windows 7. This year we see the release of Windows 8.1.
And despite being more than 12 years old, a surprisingly large number of businesses still run Windows XP and many have no current plans to upgrade.
Direct retail sales of Windows XP stopped in 2008 and this year Microsoft announced that all extended support for the operating system would end in April 2014. It is time to say goodbye to Window XP.
That means no more security or software updates, which means any computer still running Windows XP will be left wide open to hackers with no ways to protect itself.
Even now, with security updates still available for a few more months, due to its age Windows XP remains highly vulnerable to malware infection, an incredible 6 times more likely than Windows 7 or Windows 8.
The last service pack for Windows XP came out in 2008. Five years is a very long time in the malware business and there is no doubt that hackers have been busy keeping themselves up to date, even if you have not.
It has been suggested that as many as one in seven IT managers running Windows XP are not even aware that extended support is due to end next year – a worrying statistic. And in other businesses you may have so many computers running Windows XP that simply the thought of change is a scary one at best.
If you currently win Windows XP within your business, unless you take action quickly, you will find yourself a target for every hacker out there. Your systems – and therefore your business – will be at high risk. They are already lying in wait.
You Still Have Time to Say Goodbye to Windows XP!
The good news is that there is still time to take action, though the only way to ensure your computer systems stay protected is to upgrade your computers from Windows XP to at least Windows 7, if not Windows 8.1.
Our projects team can help you find out which operating system will work best for your business, also help you plan any upgrades with the least amount of disruption to your business, and even take the challenge of upgrade off your hands completely if that suits.
Call us on 01952 303404 or get in touch and let us help your business wave goodbye to Windows XP.