Microsoft Will Soon Discontinue Security Support For Windows XP Service Pack 2

XP users, heads up ! Microsoft is soon going to discontinue support for security updates of Windows XP service pack 2. If you’re running one of these versions after support ends, you won’t get security updates for Windows after July 13, 2010.

The security updates for users who are using Windows Vista without any service packs has already been stopped on April 13, 2010. However, Microsoft will provide the necessary security updates to XP users using service pack 3 as usual.

If you are not sure which version or service pack of Windows you are using, click the start menu button, type winver in the search box, and then press “Enter”.

It’s very clear that Microsoft want the users to upgrade to a better and current version of Windows (read Windows 7). But this decision, will surely have an impact on a lot of organizations around the world, assuming that they regularly install the latest updates from Windows.

There are still thousands of homes, offices, schools and other corporate organizations who use Windows XP regularly and stopping the security updates will leave them with no option other than to upgrade to a newer version of Windows.

On this issue, this site has put together some interesting verdicts by security experts. Here is an excerpt:

Companies choosing to not adhere to vendor support lifecycles presents a risk to a network as vulnerabilities exist that can lead to virus outbreaks, breaches in security and potential loss ofdata

The longer Microsoft continues to support legacy products and applications, Microsoft and its customers will suffer as they will spend effort and energy supporting legacy code instead of ultimately developing new technologies and security measures.

Do you use Windows XP and install the latest Windows updates? Are you going to upgrade to a current version of Windows? Share your thoughts in the comments section.