Microsoft has announced that all support for its Windows Vista operating system will come to an end in less than a month.
Windows Vista, which was launched in 2007, had the majority of its support stopped in 2012. However, this is to be brought to a full stop from April 11, 2017.
According to Microsoft, after this date the operating system will no longer receive security updates, non-security hotfixes, assisted support options or online technical content updates.
In a post, it said: “Microsoft has provided support for Windows Vista for the past 10 years, but the time has come for us, along with our hardware and software partners, to invest our resources towards more recent technologies so that we can continue to deliver great new experiences.”
This means that users of Windows Vista after this date may face the risk of their computer becoming more vulnerable to security risks and viruses.
Read more: Windows XP – The scourge of the NHS putting patient data at risk
Internet Explorer 9 will no longer be supported by the operating system; therefore all users of this may expose their PCs to additional threats.
Microsoft has advised that users should upgrade to Windows 10 and also suggests customers make sure their PC can run it, as only a small selection of old computers are able to run the new operating system.
Microsoft said: “If your current PC can’t run Windows 10, it might be time to consider shopping for a new one,” with the inclusion of a link to its Microsoft store where customers can purchase a Surface Pro 4 or more, no surprise there!
Overall, the company emphasises that potential security risks are likely for continuous users of Windows Vista after the end support so users should be prepared before this change.
A similar case was identified during the end support of Windows XP in 2014, which saw a huge total of 76 percent IT professionals continually running the system even after the support was ended, according to a Spiceworks study.
