Microsoft is doing its level best to get Windows XP holdouts to upgrade to a newer operating system. No new patches will arrive after April 8, 2014, and now the company is pondering cutting off antivirus updates at that point, too.
That means if you’re using Security Essentials to protect your Windows XP system from malware, you’ll be doubly exposed. Microsoft has also used somewhat vague language, so Forefront — Security Essentials’ corporate counterpart — may no longer be updated as well. Why is Microsoft talking about ending updates for its antivirus apps on XP? According to the company, using an unsafe OS is still unsafe even if you’re running fully-updated security software.
Google has announced that it’ll keep updating Chrome after that, but again, that’s just one app. Windows XP will no longer be secure, and nothing that Google does to Chrome will change that. Other companies that develop antivirus software may continue updating their apps, but that won’t guarantee protection for XP users running unpatched after April 8 either.
Microsoft would rather focus its efforts on Windows 7 and Windows 8.1. It’s been looking after Windows XP since 2001, and it really is time to move on. Mostly, anyway. High-profile Microsoft partners will still be able to get their hands on patches for Windows XP, but it won’t be cheap. The company does provide custom solutions for customers that need fixes for software that’s past its “best before” date.
Theoretically, then, you may be able to get your hands on Windows XP updates after April 8, 2014 but it’s not going to be easy — and Microsoft won’t be making it any easier. In six more months it might finally be time to bite the bullet and purchase a new machine running Windows 8.1 — or at least a used one running Windows 7 which has a few more years of support coming.
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