Microsoft will no longer be supporting Windows XP or Office 2003. In Microsoft’s own words:
After April 8, 2014, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates or technical support for Windows XP. Security updates patch vulnerabilities that may be exploited by malware and help keep users and their data safer. PCs running Windows XP after April 8, 2014, should not be considered to be protected, and it is important that you migrate to a current supported operating system – such as Windows 8.1 – so you can receive regular security updates to protect their computer from malicious attacks.
What does this mean for your business?
If your computer is still running Windows XP after April 8, it will still work…but there are two major risks:
1) Security
You will no longer receive Windows XP security updates, which means your computer —and business— will become vulnerable to viruses and other malware that could access your private information. Even anti-virus software will not be able to fully protect you.
As Piero DaPaoli, senior director of marketing at Symantec, told USA Today, “While Symantec will continue to support XP users for the foreseeable future … it’s important for people to understand that there is no ‘silver bullet’ security software that can fully protect an OS that does not receive vulnerability updates.”
2) Compliance
You may no longer be able to comply with HIPAA or other regulatory obligations, since patient data will no longer be held within appropriate levels of security. The problem is that a weakness in Windows XP security could be discovered after the April 8 deadline, and would never be corrected – which means the user would no longer be complying with HIPAA.
What can you do?
If you’re running Windows XP, or if you’re not sure whether you are, contact Datasmith today. We can provide options for best moving forward, whether it means upgrading firewall and antivirus protection in the short-term, or smoothly migrating to a newer operating system.
How can we help you upgrade from Windows XP? Give us a call.
