Finished the support to old versions of Microsoft Windows

In few days Microsoft stops the production of security upgrades for old Windows versions.

Next day 11 the time expires so that the cycle of security upgrades for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) and Windows Millennium Edition (Me) expires.

Starting from the day 11, the users of these platforms will count with three possible options: to upgraded, acquiring licenses of versions more modern of Windows; to continue using these obsolete versions spite to not having patches of security; or lastly, to think about the migrate possibility to non Microsoft solutions, taking advantage of the one approach to the market of different distributions UNIX, with environment of desktop and simple procedures of installation.

The volume of users affected by the support finalization is estimated in about 70 millions. Other sources speak that the allotment can to settle down in some 48 million machines in 98 and 98SE, for a total of 25 million machines with ME. Similar estimates to the one shown they code in 13% the percent of users of operative products Microsoft that they use the versions 98, 98SE and ME. The analysts they specify that the residual percent of users that continues using these platforms at the end of year, it will be of the order of 6%, what would rot to be translated in about 35 million users.

Revising the notes offered by Microsoft is possible to find additional information on the terms of the cycle of life and the terms that they have wasted away until arriving to this definitive retreat. In first instance, the technical expanded support of corrections for Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE concluded 30 June of 2003, while the technical support of corrections for Windows Millennium Edition concluded December 31 2003. July 11 2006 also mark the date in the one that those that hired the service of non critical corrections of security, given under it demands and previous analysis of the company, they will stop to receive service. It will exist an online support of self-help enabled up to July 10 2007, given in form of knowledge base Web (Microsoft Knowledge Base)

It is very significant the fact that, until these 70 millions of users decide why I walk to continue, they will be exposed to the new ones attack and vulnerabilities that they can appear. It won't be possible to obtain solutions to this problems on the part of the manufacturer, and it will be their solution at the mercy of non official patches and "workarounds" that the members of the user community outline.

The temporary window that opens up until the entirety of users affected they decide and materialize their election, he shows up like it releases and heterogeneous. Therefore, a prohibited one opens up for the exploitation of vulnerabilities in a limit whose you abut don't have to day of today clearly defined barriers.

Not less significant it is that among the different segments populational, a high number of users that they don't have exists to the patches of security like operation precedences, or that simply, they ignore these procedures of upgrade. To its favor plays that alicious a lot of code designed nowadays doesn't work in these obsolete, such platforms and like Johannes corroborates Ullrich, CTO of SANS Internet Storm Center that surprisingly, it outlines two solve for the users affections: to upgrade to more versions modern of Windows... or migrate to Mac.

Maybe the most difficult decision, without minimizing the dilemma of those home users, have it the corporations and companies that for diverse reasons continue using these desktop systems. Those migration plans could be expensive in time and payment, and this factor can increase the risk considerably in which is incurred starting from now. As a consequence of this, the managers of security they should revise their maps of risks, and to make the modifications opportune for the appropriate quantization.

The next appointment will be in July of 2010, term in which the one concludes expanded technician support for the family of Windows 2000 whose support standard technician was discontinued in fact one year ago.

Source: Hispasec