Recent ransomware attacks remind us of how much trouble users are putting themselves into by still running an ancient, unsupported OS. While this article reiterates the obvious reasons of why old software is still so prevalent, which include companies skimping on IT and trying to save cash, it does raise an interesting point about Microsoft’s decision to patch the unsupported XP over the weekend: did this inadvertently convince laggards to stay on the ancient OS, with it giving the impression they will be bailed out in the future? Or will this outbreak finally convince companies to upgrade?



…the silver lining in WannaCry comes from alerting companies large and small of just how debilitating Windows XP can be. “A decade or two decades ago, most of these malware variants were pretty benign,” says Tsai. “Viruses were just a nuisance, instead of something that could impact the bottom line. But now with ransomware, where they’re encrypting or deleting your critical data, I think that the higher-ups who make decisions are starting to take note.” If so, hopefully sooner than later. If you don’t want hackers taking shots at you, start by removing the bullseye.

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Source: [H]ardOCP – If You Still Use Windows XP, Prepare for the Worst