Curtains to come down on Microsoft XP from Apr 8

Microsoft will stop technical support for its most popular operating system (OS) Windows XP globally from Tuesday, bringing down curtains on the software giant's longest running OS.

From tomorrow, customers will no longer receive new security updates, hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates for their XP OS.

Windows XP, which was launched in October 2001, is three generations behind the latest operating system Windows 8 that hit markets in October 2012. The current XP version is called Windows XP Service Pack 3.

Microsoft will also stop automatic updates and Microsoft Security Essentials for XP from April 8. "There is a sense of urgency because after April 8, Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) customers will no longer receive new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or

paid assisted support options or online technical content updates," Microsoft Director (Trustworthy Computing division) Tim Rains had said earlier in a blog post.

This means that running Windows XP when the product is obsolete (after support ends) will increase the risk of technology being affected by cybercriminals attempting to do harm, he had said.

In February this year, the US-based firm had said its PC install base for large enterprises in India is about 4 million units, of which around 84 per cent migrated from Windows XP.

The tech giant had indicated that a number of ATMs are yet to upgraded and such cash vending machine may face security risk. The number of ATMs using Windows XP is higher as compared to 16 per cent PCs which need upgradation.

There are roughly about 100,000 ATMs in India and many of them are running Windows XP. They have the same support policy and will be out of support, something which the RBI guidelines also referred.

Last month, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had warned that banking operations, including ATM services, may be hit as support from Microsoft for Windows XP operating system will end from April 8 and had asked banks to take immediate steps.

However, Indian Banks Association (IBA) chief executive M V Tanksale had said only old ATMs might face some problems, while the newer machines run on other platforms.