It has been a year since Microsoft cut off extended support for Windows XP including Internet Explorer security updates for the platform. Yeah, I know, it doesn't feel like it. Other browser vendors announced that they would continue to target the retired OS after Microsoft washed their hands of it. At the time, Google said they would give at least 12 months support, which brings us to yesterday.
Now Google is extending their commitment to the end of the year. They did not say that it was a hard deadline for their customers, but they also did not add an “at least” qualifier this time. The browser vendor wants people to upgrade and admits that they cannot genuinely provide a secure experience if a known issue bites everyone at the OS level. You can keep training the guard at the door, but if your window falls out, mind the pun, then it is still dangerous to be inside.
Granted, we have not seen a major attack on XP over the last year. You would have to think that, even if the attacks are sophisticated, some of the victims would have noticed and reported it to someone. Still, I wonder how it keeps surviving, especially since I would have thought that at least one vulnerability in the last twelve Patch Tuesdays could be ported back to it.
Maybe it is too small of a target?
I wonder if Chromium Project
I wonder if Chromium Project will follow suit or continue on.
I wonder if it’s safer to
I wonder if it’s safer to assume that anyone who is still on XP either is too poor to have anything worth stealing, or must already have 10-15 years of malware installed and that identity has been stolen plenty of times already.
I do have a friend who about 3 months ago formatted his hard drive and re-installed his from kaZaa pirated Win-XP copy, but he’s an idiot so he’s not worthy of being a statistic.
kazaa hahaha malware comes
kazaa hahaha malware comes preinstalled with his version.
ever fired up a pre service pack copy of XP..and try to get it updated….back when you got all your updates from windowsupdate.com hahhaha wow its a mission!
it’s worse than that, the
it’s worse than that, the reason he REFUSES to upgrade, is because “I need my task bar to auto hide, and those fuckers at windows removed it from 7!”
like I said, he’s an idiot.
And you are arguing with your
And you are arguing with your sock-puppets, Linux mint is a great replacement for XP on most machines, and it’s less of a resource hog. There are desktop environments under Linux that are close to XP. If windows XP must be used lock it down under a VM with the XP image non modifiable and no internet access allowed, this can be done for most of the newest hardware that was available when XP was still being loaded on new hardware. But why not try Linux Mint, or any other Linux distro for the old XP hardware, that even 7 would have trouble running on. For the hardware that shipped with windows 7, that hardware will very likely do just fine with 7 in a VM and locked down after 2020, no reason to go beyond 7, and wind up regretting the move.
you are preaching to the
you are preaching to the choir sir, just bitching about yet another person who askes me for advice then ignores it because….. reasons.
Now I’m wondering, “arguing with your sock-puppets” what does that mean? no insult taken, even if it was ment to be, I’m just wondering. Does it imply that you think the “Friend with XP” is imaginary or that he has the smarts of an old sock? either way it’s a great phrase, I love it!
those XP people….. REFUSED
those XP people….. REFUSED to upgrade to 7
why…who knows but they really stuck to their guns.
Now I don’t go out thinking running XP is a liability, any more then a dipshit behind the wheel of win 7 is a liability. patch XP up, use your brains online, run an updated browser, ad block, dont run an admin local account etc….. there is no reason XP is going to be compromised just because “XP” and MS is not patching.
common sense and basic security… DUH, running a normal permissions account that asks for admin password for everything that wants to run/install will knock out 99% of stuff a basic user would run into….annoying but safe.
XP is still used in the
XP is still used in the enterprise, many are still only partially moved older applications to newer ones since the old ones will no longer work in the new OS.
we as consumers easily migrate- but moving an enterprise is a difficult and long effort. it is further complicated by the lackluster ecomomy which impacts on the cashflow you can divert from day -to day operations into IT migration
well yes, but most of those
well yes, but most of those enterprise XP users are paying MS for extended suport, it’s one of those calculated costs where it’s easier to pay not to have to deal with the problem
Against the cost of rewriting
Against the cost of rewriting their mission critical applications, that may or may not work with win 7, or later OSs, the cost of extended support may not be so great. I’ll even bet that the XP copy could be locked down inside a VM instance and safely run the old XP only applications with no risk to the company. Why do you think any business would remain using XP, if it was a simple matter of upgrading to 7, it’s very likely that the business has done the cost to benefit analysis and is forced to remain on XP.
There are some specialized numerical process milling machines that run under XP, and to change to a different OS would require purchasing a new million dollar+ milling machine. Lots of old computer controlled equipment may have to continue with XP, as there is simply not the funds to purchase the newer machines that are running the latest OSs.
Certainly the manufacturing industry could make a specialized Linux Distro of its own, specialized for machine milling work, and never have to worry about having to make such a decision in the future, while the specialized Linux distro would not have to be worried with any superficial UI changes being forced upon the OS. Why do you think the US Navy runs its latest ships on Linux. Well that and other security reasons, and not having the ability to go over the full source code of the windows OS, the specialized Linux distro running the USS Zumwalt will have its source vetted, and new builds maintained to a level that can not be achieved with any closed sourced OS.
http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/10/the-navys-newest-warship-is-powered-by-linux/
My local doctors surgery uses
My local doctors surgery uses XP & IE6. Felt really safe when I was giving them all my details. Lots of bespoke hardware runs under DOS & is still used today. Not to mention the amount of COBOL that is out there.