14 DAY TRIAL // Yet another security vendor today announced extended support for Windows XP computers, explaining that users still running the platform need to stay fully protected and block any incoming malware that could compromise their data.
Quick Heal Technologies, maker of several security products for Windows, today revealed for Business Standard that all its applications would continue to work on Windows XP for at least two more years after the software giant pulled the plug on the operating system on April 8.
There is no doubt that extended Windows XP support comes as terrific news for those still running this aging OS version, but security experts at Quick Heal warn that everyone should actually upgrade to a newer platform as soon as possible.
Even with up-to-date anti-virus protection hackers are still able to get into your computers, the company warns, so it’s critical to stay away from suspicious files and avoid clicking on content that you think might be infected.
“It is possible that hackers may have found vulnerabilities in Windows XP and that they are just waiting for April 8. The concern is that even if Microsoft discovers them in the future, it's not going to release any security fixes for them. Depending on the severity of these risks, cybercriminals might triumph,” Quick Heal Technologies Chief Technology Officer Sanjay Katkar said.
“We advise all our users to be aware and upgrade. If that's not possible, then they should take as much precaution as they can to safeguard their machines,” he said.
Windows XP obviously remains a very popular operating system these days despite all Microsoft’s efforts to move users to a newer platform, with recent statistics indicating that nearly 28 percent of computers worldwide are still running it.
As one could easily figure out, such news is a bit worrying not only for Microsoft, but also for users themselves, as the operating system could become vulnerable overnight if hackers find an unpatched vulnerability.
As the security expert at Quick Heal warned, chances are that hackers have already found some unfixed glitches in the operating system, but they’re waiting for the April 8 deadline to make sure that Microsoft won’t be able to address them. This means that all XP users could be attacked soon after end of support arrives, despite the security products running on their computers. It remains to be seen, however, how many users actually get this message and decide to upgrade.