14 DAY TRIAL // The end of Windows XP is quickly approaching and Microsoft is not the only company that recommends users to switch to a newer platform as soon as possible.
Ken Colburn, of Data Doctors, a company that provides IT assistance to users and businesses alike, explained that consumers deciding to stick to Windows XP would become nothing more than “sitting ducks” for cybercriminals, as Microsoft would no longer patch their operating systems.
“Microsoft will no longer give you the ability to secure yourself when it comes to newly discovered problems and so you're going to be on your own,” he was quoted as saying by AZfamily.
“There's a lot of misconceptions that if you have anti-virus software, you don't have to worry about whether Windows is being updated or not; nothing could be further from the truth. The hackers are looking for people that have not taken the time to update.”
Microsoft itself admits that getting users off Windows XP is a really tough challenge, so the company has recently asked tech-savvy customers to join the effort and help those still on this aging platform to migrate to a newer and more secure version of Windows.
“You may know someone who is and have even served as their tech support. To help, we have created a special page on Windows.com that explains what ‘end of support’ means for people still on Windows XP and their options to stay protected after support ends on April 8th,” Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc said in a post last week.
“If you have a friend or family member who is still using Windows XP, you can help them stay safe. Friends and family can upgrade their current PCs if they meet the system requirements for Windows 8.1,” Redmond added in a separate blog post on the same topic.