14 DAY TRIAL // We all know that Windows XP is now an unsupported operating system, but even though Microsoft no longer wants to release security updates and fixes, there's one easy way that could keep your computer fully patched at very low prices.
As ComputerWorld reports, a black market for Windows XP patches is very likely to emerge in the coming months, pretty much because there still are millions of users out there running the retired operating system.
Microsoft indeed provides custom support, but only for companies and organizations with tens, hundreds, or maybe thousands of machines running XP and based on a deal that usually comes down to millions of dollars.
But the black market could very well be an appealing solution for those in search for affordable ways to keep Windows XP computers secure, even though there's no doubt that relying on an unofficial channel for patching an operating system is a very risky business.
Although it might charge you only a few bucks for a patch supposed to fix a vulnerability in Windows XP, sellers could actually provide you with a fake fix that does nothing good to your computer. Worse, they could even infect your computer with malware that, in the end, might help cybercriminals access your personal data.
The only effective solution right now is to abandon Windows XP and indeed migrate to a newer OS version, although it could be a very expensive decision.
Microsoft itself warned that Windows XP could become an easy-to-hack operating system in the coming months, even though you're running third-party security software on the computer.
And still, the company admits that moving to Windows 8.1 is a complex process, especially because it involves hardware upgrades, but says that devices running this OS version already come with affordable prices.
“Very few older computers are able to run Windows 8.1, which is the latest version of Windows. We recommend that you download and run the Windows Upgrade Assistant to check if your PC meets the system requirements for Windows 8 and then follow the steps in the tutorial to upgrade if your PC is able. The Windows 8.1 system requirements are almost the same as the Windows 8 system requirements—so if your PC can run Windows 8, in most cases you can get the free update to Windows 8.1,” the company recommends.
Windows XP is still being used by millions of consumers across the world, so it remains to be seen what happens if a security flaw is indeed found in the operating system.