Microsoft kills A-V updates for XP

Gone

[tangor]

Windows XP holdouts are even more danger than ever after Microsoft abandoned anti-malware support for the ancient platform.

Redmond overnight stopped providing XP support for new and existing installs of its Security Essentials package.

The run-as-needed Malicious Software Removal Tool has also been axed, while support for patching ended in April last year for those who aren't paying large wads of cash to stave off an upgrade.

[theregister.co.uk...]

Pretty charts and everything.... but XP malware support is now officially dead.

[engine]

I still have an XP machine, used for testing, but Win 7 and above are the rest of the machines.

On the XP machine, it has a pretty good set of AV tools, but the machine is not in everyday use.

I worry about those that still use XP as their main machine - it really could affect all of us if those 180 million machines get malware that are used to attack, spam, and hack. Not to mention the opportunities for a simple keyword logger stealing usernames and password. - oh, I just mentioned it!

[IanCP]

Well I think we all have XP machines. I have four I think. I used to give them to Pensioners to use for email, search with Google, play games etc.

Yes mate, it is a ticking tome bomb for some.

[tangor]

I have an XP active as well, but it is not facing outward to the net. There are a few legacy programs that I can't quite give up yet as I haven't found either a suitable replacement, or taken the time to re-write the code (graphics, analytical tools).

I, too, fear for those XP users, but most likely the bottom feeders will feed only in that pool, ultimately destroying it, which will kill off the XP users by non-functioning machines. It will be a feeding frenzy, and led to extinction.

[Leosghost]

There is a registry hack (which purportedly "works", which one can search for , if one so wishes ) to make your XP ( and MS servers ) think that it is an "enterprise" version , and so eligible for "automatic" support..

Or you could just run your XP in a virtual machine..on linux..etc..if you require it to be " 'net facing"..

[IanCP]

There are a few legacy programs that I can't quite give up yet as I haven't found either a suitable replacement

Have you tried them out on Win 7, 8 or whatever you have?

When I went from XP Pro to Win 8 Pro, I was concerned many programs wouldn't work - they in fact did.

Some I later upgraded. Some not. My Paint Shop Pro is the 1998 version. Works just fine, and does everything I need.

They are the operative words people who often needlessly waste money, need to remember - "Works just fine, and does everything I need"