Microsoft ceased support for Windows XP and Office 2003 on April 8, 2014. The company no longer provides security updates or patches for those platforms.
Continuing to use these platforms with a lack of support after the end of life date will put users at risk. How? When Microsoft releases security updates for Windows versions that ARE supported, hackers will use the unsupported XP platform to test for weak spots. When they find them, malware authors will write exploit code and can gain access to customer credit card or financial data.
Risks include fines for failure to pass compliance audits or for being in a non-compliant state; inability to use major credit cards and access critical business data; and a tarnished public image due to security breach or failure to pass compliance.
If you have yet to take action, don’t panic.
Follow these steps to begin your process of switching to a new operating system:
- Check your computers and/or terminals: are they using Windows XP or Microsoft Office 2003? (If you’re not sure, give your vendor a call and they should be able to confirm this for you.)
- Upgrade to a supported Windows operating system or another system of your choosing. (Again, if you’re not sure, ask your vendor to make a recommendation.)
- Isolate or restrict network traffic associated with your Windows XP machines.
Microsoft is making transferring to a new operating system easy with a free transfer tool developed by Laplink called PCmover Express for Windows XP. The tool copies user files and settings from PCs to new machines running on Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 8.1. It allows users to determine precisely what files and settings they want to move to their new machine. PCmover Express is available for download at www.windowsxp.com or Microsoft’s Download Center.
Laplink also developed software to migrate apps from old computers that will work on newer, supported versions of Windows called PCmover Professional.
Don’t wait to take action – a security breach can occur at any time.
