Millions of Windows XP users refuse to upgrade as support ends
Only 15 per cent of XP users are planning on upgrading, with one fifth of users unaware that support was ending
A staggering 27 per cent of Windows XP users are not planning on ditching the decrepit operating system despite Microsoft ending support.
A survey of over 160,000 people still using Windows XP also found that many were unaware the operating system was now hugely vulnerable to attack. Despite widespread coverage in the press and warnings from Microsoft, 21 per cent of Windows XP users were unaware that support was ending on 8 April 2014.
The research was conducted by Avast, with the computer security firm also revealing that around 47 million of its 200 million users were still running Windows XP. The company surveyed 164,496 Windows XP users running Avast to find out what they intended to do now support for the operating system was ending.
Avast found that only 15 per cent of Windows XP users were planning on upgrading their operating system, while just 5 per cent planned to buy a new PC. In total, 27 per cent of Windows XP users running Avast were not planning to do anything now that support has ended.
Despite Microsoft ending support for Windows XP, many antivirus companies are still releasing patches and updates for the operating system. AVG, Avast, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Norton have all promised to support XP for at least another year.
But with Microsoft no longer issuing updates for XP, experts have warned that the operating system will be extremely vulnerable.
David Emm, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, issued a stark warning:
“Effectively, every vulnerability discovered after today will become a zero-day vulnerability – that is, one for which there is – and never will be – a patch,” he said.
Microsoft and security companies continue to urge people still running Windows XP to upgrade to a newer operating system. Read our expert guide for advice on how to stay safe on Windows XP.