Be aware: Support for Windows XP ends soon

Be aware: Support for Windows XP ends soon

In just a little more than two weeks, Microsoft will end all updates and support for the Windows XP operating system. I hope you aren't waiting to the last minute.

This has been known for a long time and there have been numerous communications in all manner of media about the need to replace your Windows XP computer by April 8.

In the business world, most companies have had a plan for a while and have been steadily upgrading their Windows XP computers so they will no longer have any on their network come April 8. If you work in any type of regulated organization like a financial firm or a health-related industry, you will be out of compliance if you have Windows XP computers on your network after April 8.

I have heard some people ask what the big deal is. It's a fair question. Simply stated, if you use your computer to access any type of sensitive information that is important to your business, this is big deal. If you access any type of legally protected information, like personal identity information or health information, it is a very big deal. When updates and support end April 8, Windows XP will have a giant target on it. Hackers love unprotected systems and any known vulnerabilities that are not fixed as of April 8 will remain unaddressed and provide a path for hackers to infiltrate your business. Moreover, any new exploits that are uncovered are sure to be widely communicated and attacked within the hacker community.

The risk is that your business could lose valuable information. A further risk is that these computers may be used to then attack other, more valuable targets, making you a potentially unwitting pawn in a potentially damaging hack or data breach. The risk is just not worth it. As recently as last month, it's been estimated that up to 30 percent of the world's computers are still running Windows XP. We are talking about an operating system that is 12 years old at this point. A lot of people are comfortable with Windows XP. Windows 7 presented a very simple and smooth upgrade path from Windows XP and the availability of new PCs with Windows 7 loaded on them is rapidly declining.

The latest update to Windows 8 makes the move smooth as well, but there will be a learning curve for the new operating system. It's not as bad as some would have you think, so if this has kept you from upgrading, find a way to move past the concern.

Soon, peripheral manufacturers will also stop supporting Windows XP as well, so new printers, scanners and other types of devices will not support the operating system.

You may have seen recent reports about how most of the ATMs we use are based on Windows XP. Banks are having to purchase expensive custom support contracts with Microsoft to keep them safe until they can be upgraded. I have not researched why the banks have delayed these upgrades, but it is going to cost them more than most businesses are willing to pay to keep them safely operating for the time being. Most small and mid-size businesses just can't afford this option. If you are hoping that being behind a firewall will keep you safe, it won't. If you connect to the Internet, you are inherently at risk, regardless of how good your firewall is. I'm sure you have heard of companies large and small being hit by hacks, viruses and malware. In all cases, these networks were protected by a robust firewall, yet an individual computer or group of computers can still be attacked is those systems are not properly secured.

After April 8, you will no longer be able to properly secure Windows XP. It's that simple. Hopefully you haven't waited to the last weeks to make the necessary upgrades. I'll be following developments after April 8 to see what happens. Most conventional wisdom suggests hacking activity will pick up dramatically after that date. My hope is the fallout will not be as bad as feared. However, in my opinion, it's not worth the risk to wait to find out.

MJ Shoer is president and virtual chief technology officer of Jenaly Technology Group Inc., Your Technology Concierge based in Portsmouth. He maintains a blog about business IT issues at http://mjsblog.jenaly.com and he may be reached at mshoer@jenaly.com.