Media release
Monday 8 April, 2013
Half a million NZ PCs may face security risks within a year
Today marks the 12-month countdown until Microsoft Windows XP is officially retired worldwide. Support for the 11 year
old operating system ends on April 8, 2014, leaving businesses still using XP open to potential vulnerabilities and
security risks.
Windows XP still makes up almost 14% of operating systems on computers in New Zealand which is approximately half a
million PCs[i].
Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand, Paul Muckleston, said that while Windows XP was one of the most popular
operating systems in Microsoft’s history, it was not designed to handle today’s computing environment, or cope with
advanced cyber-attacks and the challenges of maintaining data privacy, unlike newer operating systems such as Windows 7
and 8.
“By far, the security risk is the most concerning for customers as there are more sophisticated forms of attack which
can impact safety of personal information and cause business disruption and extra costs.
"Technology moves rapidly, and if we compare this to using an 11 year old mobile phone or camera then it puts it into
stark context – these are considered relics. However, the risks and consequences of using an unsupported operating
system are significantly greater than these two examples.
“XP is three generations behind Microsoft’s most modern operating system so continuing to use PCs with XP is similar to
driving a car without a seat belt or a motorbike without a helmet. The risks are real and the only way businesses and
consumers can protect themselves is to upgrade.”
The end-of-support means Microsoft will no longer provide automatic fixes, updates, or online technical assistance for
Windows XP. In addition to this, users will no longer receive security updates that help protect PCs from harmful
viruses, spyware, and other malicious software that can steal personal information.
Many New Zealand businesses including PlaceMakers have already migrated away from Windows XP to ensure business
continuity and reduce security risks. PlaceMakers recently migrated 1,200 desktops from Windows XP to Windows 7 and
achieved the upgrade within six weeks.
IT manager at PlaceMakers, Chris Marra, says the migration away from XP onto Windows 7 caused little disruption and the
business is already seeing the benefits of running a new operating system.
“For most employees the migration was overnight - they left the office on XP and came back to Windows 7.
“Moving to Windows 7 was a no-brainer for us - we can deliver consistent IT standards and tools across the company
without compromising our desire for greater efficiency. The built-in modern security gives us comfort we are not left
unprotected and productivity-wise, it allows our staff to benefit from all the new features of Windows including secure
mobile access from laptops and tablets. I have great peace of mind with this decision.”
A white paper developed by International Data Corporation (IDC) highlighted the need for businesses and consumers to
upgrade from Windows XP. It was reported that Windows XP is no longer fit to meet increasing technological requirements
of PCs today such as integrated WiFi and Bluetooth, faster USB ports, and high-resolution monitors and touchscreen
capabilities.
CEO of NZICT, Candace Kinser, has also highlighted the importance of businesses understanding the implications of not
migrating from Windows XP.
“Microsoft has made significant progress in improving security over the last 10 years through the Trustworthy Computing
initiative. Businesses should consider the vulnerability of their data, and the risks associated with continuing to run
an out of date, and soon to be unsupported operating system.”
Findings from Microsoft’s Security Intelligence Report, Volume 13, released in June 2012, reported that Windows XP with Service Pack 3 is three times more vulnerable than Windows 7
Service Pack 1. In addition to the severe security issues, continued use of XP poses additional threats including
compliance issues such as encryption, hashing, and signing, while more than 60%[ii] of independent software vendors and modern browsers no longer support XP.
To support the migration away from XP, Microsoft has announced the Windows Upgrade Centre website where businesses can get more information about this issue, learn from analysts and other customers in the
region.
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Notes:
Over the last decade, security threats have escalated in a number of ways:
MALWARE: Increased from 1000 in 1991 to millions in 2012 and has become an online crime story. Computer threats include
viruses, worms, trojans, exploits, backdoors, password stealers, spyware, and other variations of potentially unwanted
software.
FAKE VIRUS ALERTS: Rogue security software is the latest in major infections, where a virus will download itself on to a computer
automatically and show up as a legitimate virus alert. It will then create pop-up windows on a user’s screen that show
alerts that your system has been infected with the need to run a scan immediately. When the user clicks on the scan
button, the virus will infect the rest of the computer. Rogue security software might also attempt to spoof the
Microsoft security update process.
HACKTIVISM: According to IDC, denial of service (DoS) and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are re-emerging as a threat
to businesses and organisations of late. In 2012, there was a sharp increase in the frequency, bandwidth volume, and
applications orientation of these attacks, and organisations were often caught unaware. Such attacks, loosely referred
to as ‘hacktivism’ increased nearly 70% in the first six months of 2012 vs. the same period in 2011, according to
statistics released by Prolexic, a Hollywood, Fla.-based website defense firm.
ends