Microsoft Releases Windows XP Security Patches Cyber-Attacks
Highlights:
Microsoft officially ended support for Windows XP in 2014
Microsoft has advised users to move to the latest versions of Windows
Microsoft was criticised last month for not providing free security patches to Windows XP users early enough to help protect against WannaCry
ransomware. It seems like the Redmond-based company has taken the
criticism seriously, as it has now included additional security updates
for earlier versions of Windows
as part of 'Update Tuesday'. These updates are said to offer enhanced
protection against cyber-attacks with characteristics similar to
WannaCry.While reviewing the security updates for June, Microsoft
identified there certain vulnerabilities posed "elevated risk of
cyber-attacks by government organisations, sometimes referred to as
nation-state actors or other copycat organisations," Adrienne Hall,
General Manager, Cyber Defense Operations Center, said in her blog post on Tuesday.
In
order to address these vulnerabilities, Microsoft is providing
additional security patches with the update, even to those customers who
are on earlier versions of Windows. "Due to the elevated risk for
destructive cyber-attacks at this time, we made the decision to take
this action because applying these updates provides further protection
against potential attacks with characteristics similar to WannaCrypt,"
Hall said. Notably, Microsoft officially ended the support for Windows
XP in 2014.
Microsoft says that if you are on Windows 10 or Windows 8.1,
the currently supported versions, and have Windows Update enabled, you
don't need to do anything from your side. Further, the company has
warned users that the "best protection" is to be on a modern up-to-date
system and that "older systems, even if fully up-to-date, lack the
latest security features and advancements."
WannaCry ransomware,
which erupted last month, hit more than 150 countries and encrypted
files on more than 200,000 computers. In order to unlock the files, the
malware creators reportedly demanded
a ransom of $300 (roughly Rs. 19,300) worth of Bitcoins from the users.
It seems like Microsoft has now taken a more pro-active approach to the
situation and decided that it should provide further protection to
those users who are on unsupported versions as well.
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