14 DAY TRIAL // Windows XP will stop receiving support as of April 8, 2014, but only a few users and businesses seem to get Microsoft’s message to upgrade to a newer OS.
But according to Kevin Beadon, head of workspace & mobility at GlassHouse Technologies, the next two months are critical for the Windows XP transition, as many businesses and end-users could run out of time if they don’t decide to upgrade anytime soon.
“Those that fail to implement a migration or contingency plan over the next couple of months will risk not being able to move their applications in time and come next April’s cut off point, may face compliance issues,” he told to ComputerWeekly.
Microsoft is also warning users to dump XP and move to a newer platform, pointing to the security risks of an unpatched system. Basically, it would be a piece of cake for hackers to break into an unpatched system and access users’ data, the company explained.
“Staying on Windows XP can put your data at risk as well. Any new vulnerabilities discovered in Windows XP after its end of life will not be addressed by Microsoft. Even AntiMalware software and other security mitigations become severely disadvantaged and over time and will become increasingly unable to protect the Windows XP platform,” Chris Hallum, senior product manager in the Windows Client Commercial organization, told us in a recent interview.
“If you are a business, staying on Windows XP means you don’t realize the inherent cost and productivity savings that come with more modern operating systems.”
At this point, figures provided by market researcher Net Applications reveal that Windows XP is still powering more than 38 percent of the computers worldwide, despite Microsoft’s efforts to emphasize the risks of staying with this platform after the April 8, 2014 retirement deadline.