According to industry monitor Net Applications, Windows XP is still being used on 26.29% of all computers globally and 30.56% in Africa. As such, it stands to reason that people would look for workarounds now that Microsoft has stopped supporting the aged operating system, and will no longer issue security updates.
A simple tweak of Windows XP’s registry allows XP users to continue getting security updates through 2019, as noted in a recent report .Microsoft, however, has issued a statement warning users not to perform the “hack.”
“We recently became aware of a hack that purportedly aims to provide security updates to Windows XP customers. The security updates that could be installed are intended for Windows Embedded and Windows Server 2003 customers and do not fully protect Windows XP customers. Windows XP customers also run a significant risk of functionality issues with their machines if they install these updates, as they are not tested against Windows XP. The best way for Windows XP customers to protect their systems is to upgrade to a more modern operating system, like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.” Microsoft explained
the hack directs updates intended for Windows Embedded Industry and Windows Server 2003 to XP machines via a Registry change. But XP isn’t quite the same as Windows Embedded or Server 2003. The April cutoff puts XP users at risk, so it’s only natural that some would try to find a workaround to keep their XP computers secure.
For consumers wondering whether Windows 7 or Windows 8 will run on their existing PC or will support their current software, Microsoft offers a Windows Upgrade Assistant tool that will analyze a PC’s hardware and software to determine if it can handle a more modern OS.
And for those willing to throw caution to the wind and ignore Microsoft’s warning in an effort to keep using Windows XP and still get some protection, Betanews has instructions on how to make the required registry changes.
