The malware apocalypse for Windows XP begins in just 1 day! Or does it?

It doesn’t seem like 12 years since Windows XP and Office 2003 first arrived but now their time will draw closer to the end in less than 2 days. At this point Microsoft will drop Enterprise support for the products potentially making the products legacy and an increasing security risk?

What does this really mean for security? Well if I was a ‘bad guy’ I’d be waiting until the 8th April 2014 before unleashing any exploits I discovered for Windows XP and Office 2003. The reason is Microsoft will no longer engineer security patches for the products. Experts are describing this time as the malware apocalypse for Windows XP.

The fact that most UK cashpoints, Self service retail tills and NHS hospitals are still on XP is really surprising. There is a wealth of free information on the internet to help organisations make the move from XP. This kinda makes me think of my mum’s old Jamaican saying:

“Those who wont hear, must feel!”

As with Y2K, the apocalypse came and went without so much as a flutter and I was looking forward this time to observe this foretold carnage however, this time the government has stepped in to try to stay the execution. This gives the public sector security patches for a further 12 months while they migrate from XP. After then perhaps the darkness will really begin.