Windows XP

Unless you’re already paying Microsoft extra to keep your Windows XP machines safe from malware then you really should upgrade to either Windows 7 or Windows 8 within the next week. Tom’s Guide talks with a couple of security experts about the impending end of support for Windows XP and they conclude that, yes, staying with Windows XP after the April 8th cutoff date will be really, really bad for both you and your computer. More →

Microsoft is dropping support for Windows XP on April 8th, and with 95% of all ATMs still running XP, this could become a major problem for any banks that haven’t signed agreements to keep support running past the deadline. And today, we learned of an ATM attack that could be easily fixed if the ATMs update to Windows 7 or 8: According to Symantec, attackers have found a way to steal money from ATMs using SMS messages. Symantec first noticed this attack late last year, when the attacks were happening in Mexico. In a blog post on Monday, it noted that a new variant of the malware, called Ploutus, had been translated to English.

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Microsoft has a problem: It desperately wants any remaining Windows XP users to upgrade to a newer version of the operating system but a huge chunk of them still haven’t budged. The latest numbers from NetMarketShare show that Windows XP still accounts for around 29.5% of all desktops in use even though Microsoft is due to end support for the 13-year-old platform on April 8th. ZDNet reports that Microsoft plans to pester remaining XP holdovers starting next week by sending them pop-up notifications reminding them — again — that it will end XP support within a month. More →

As we’ve mentioned multiple times, now is really the time to upgrade from Windows XP if you haven’t done so already. Even though Microsoft will extend support for its Windows XP security products through July 2015, the company has warned that “the effectiveness of antimalware solutions on out-of-support operating systems is limited.” Bloomberg Businessweek reports that some of the most important machines that desperately need to upgrade from Windows XP are ATMs, of which an estimated 95% still run on Microsoft’s older operating system. More →

If you’re still running a machine that runs Windows XP… well, you should really, really, really think about upgrading to Windows 7 or Windows 8 soon. However, if you’re determined to gut it out with Windows XP through at least 2014, Microsoft has thrown you a tiny little piece of a lifeline. Per The Next Web, Microsoft is extending its support for its Windows XP security products through July 14th of 2015, which gives you around a year-and-a-half to dump Windows XP before getting completely swamped with malware. That said, Microsoft is still warning that “the effectiveness of antimalware solutions on out-of-support operating systems is limited,” so now is definitely the time to either upgrade your Windows XP machines or buy new computers all together.

Now might be a good time to become accustomed with Windows 8 if you’re still a holdover Windows XP user. Computerworld reports that hackers have started storing up any fresh Windows XP exploits they find and are preparing to unleash them on unsuspecting XP users as soon as Microsoft stops supporting the operating system next year. Microsoft security expert Jason Fossen tells Computerworld that hackers who discover new exploits over the next few months may be able to charge twice what they’re charging now if they sell them after Windows XP support ends. More →