Microsoft Extends Windows XP Protection To 2015

Following a backlash from users, Microsoft has promised to provide a basic level of cyber security for Windows XP until July 2015.

The company previously said it would terminate all support for the operating system on 8 April 2014. On this date, Microsoft will stop providing automatic updates and technical assistance, but it has now promised to issue new malware signatures for Microsoft Security Essentials, System Center Endpoint Protection, Forefront Client Security, Forefront Endpoint Protection and Windows Intune for the rest of the year.

The company has warned that the effectiveness of these updates on out-of-support operating system will be limited, and urged customers to upgrade to either Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Zero day forever

Twelve years after its launch, almost a third of the desktops in the world are thought to still run Windows XP. Following the spectacular failure of Windows Vista, Microsoft has found it hard to convince businesses to abandon the trusted operating system in favour of the company’s more accatable Windows 7 and somewhat experimental Windows 8.

In the middle of 2013, a survey of 1,789 Japanese government institutions conducted by Yomiuri Shimbun (article no longer available) revealed that more than 200,000 machines in the land of the rising sun will continue to be powered by Windows XP after the retirement date. The reason? It would cost around $2.4 billion (£1.5b) to complete the upgrade.

With all the press surrounding the ‘death’ of Windows XP, Microsoft has chosen to extend basic security support until 14 July, 2015. Some experts have noted that this measure could confuse customers and damage the efforts to get them onto the latest release.

“Running a well-protected solution starts with using modern software and hardware designed to help protect against today’s threat landscape,” says a statement on the Microsoft blog.

“Our goal is to provide great antimalware solutions for our consumer and business customers. We will continue to work with our customers and partners in doing so, and help our customers complete their migrations as Windows XP end of life approaches.”

While the malware signatures will not provide the usual level of protection, they will make it harder to infect a Windows XP machine.

Several providers of security solutions including Bitdefender and ESET had previously announced they will continue supporting XP anti-malware products until 2016.

Last week, Wayne Rash warned that even if you sincerely want to upgrade from XP to Windows 8, the migration process is far from easy.

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