14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has recently confirmed a critical bug in Internet Explorer that also affects Windows XP computers and given the fact that the company has already retired support for this particular OS version, users running it right now would basically remain vulnerable to attacks even if a patch is being released for the other platforms.
Redmond has already explained that everyone needs to upgrade to a newer OS version as soon as possible, but 28 percent of the desktop computers worldwide are still powered by Windows XP, which means that millions of computers are very likely to remain unprotected against incoming attacks.
Security experts have already warned everyone running Windows XP that upgrading to a newer OS version is recommended if they'd like to stay secure and avoid getting hacked.
According to Microsoft itself, exploiting the vulnerability requires the attacker to visit a compromised website hosting malware specifically designed to take advantage of the security glitch and open a door to locally stored data.
In a report posted on ESET's blog, security expert Graham Cluley clearly explained that Windows XP won't get a patch for this bug, so users should either turn to the existing workarounds to remain protected or move to a different browser.
“You as a user don’t have to do anything odd to get your Windows computer infected by malware spread via this exploit. All you need to do is visit a website that has been poisoned by the hackers using a version of Internet Explorer.”
“What you won’t find any mention of in Microsoft’s warning, notably, is Windows XP. That’s not because it’s immune to attack. It’s because, Microsoft released its last ever security patches for Windows XP on April 8 2014. If you are still running Windows XP you will never receive a patch for this zero-day vulnerability.”
Users, however, call for Microsoft to patch the Windows XP anyway, so the company has until May 13 to decide whether it should do this or leave millions of computers vulnerable. The company has already ended support for Windows XP, so it would be natural to expect Microsoft to skip Windows XP the next Patch Tuesday, but everyone expects a sudden change of mind that could actually lead to millions of computers protected against a critical security flaw.
In the meantime, just consider upgrading to a newer OS version or at least to replace Internet Explorer with another browser that still receives support.