HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Microsoft Viet Nam will stop supporting the Windows XP operating system for Vietnamese enterprises and users on April 8, 2014 as the corporation ends XP services around the world.

Windows XP users will not be provided security udaptes and technical support from Microsoft from April 8, 2014. Photo quantrimang.com.vn

The corporation will not provide security updates, error repair versions, technical support or online technical content updates. Users will no longer receive firewall protection or spy software [used for monitoring all aspects of users' activities] updates.

Microsoft said that there were more than 5.3 million computers in Viet Nam running Windows XP, an 11-year-old operating system that lacks the ability to deal with sophisticated cyber attacks or meet demand for personal data protection.

The corporation recommended Vietnamese enterprises and users change to Windows 7 or Windows 8.

Viet Nam used Windows XP more than any country in the Asia-Pacific region until September, according to StatCounter, a website providing user statistics. However, Microsoft said that Vietnamese firms and users were updating to newer operating systems and at least 48 per cent of Vietnamese computers were using Windows 7 and Windows 8.

According to Microsoft's latest report, Windows XP Service Pack 3 [Windows XP SP3 - including all previously released updates for the operating system] is 56.5 times more vulnerable to Windows 8 RTM [Windows 8 for manufacturers].

"In reality, Vietnamese firms have not had the necessary motivation to change to a new operating system. Whether they like it or not, they still need to consider switching to Windows 7 or Windows 8 to modernize their computers," said Pham Tran Anh, director of small and medium sized enterprise groups at Microsoft Viet Nam.

Anh added that the change would help firms and users lessen the risk of damaging cyber attacks. — VNS