If your office still has a Windows XP computer, you are in danger.

April 8, 2014 is a day eagerly awaited by computer criminals. Running antivirus and security software will not give you adequate protection.

Beginning on April 8, Microsoft will no longer provide updates to fix newly-discovered vulnerabilities in Windows XP. While security software vendors will continue to provide updates, those updates will not protect against holes in the Windows XP operating system.

To make matters worse, computer criminals will get a monthly list of new potential weaknesses to exploit in Windows XP. Each month some of the new bugs discovered in Windows 7 and Windows 8 also exist in Windows XP. The Microsoft update will fix Windows 7 and 8, but not Windows XP.

It is fair to assume that technological thieves have discovered unreported vulnerabilities in Windows XP and are just waiting for April 8 to launch attacks on Windows XP. They can use bots to prowl the Internet looking for Windows XP computers to compromise.

A single Windows XP computer on your office network can expose other computers to information theft and malicious damage. If a Windows XP computer can access the files on your server, then malicious programs installed by criminals could destroy or steal them.

Our advice: Replace your Windows XP computers as soon as possible. If you still need to use one after April 8, don't use it to access email or webpages. Make sure the security software on all your computers is right up to date.

For more information on the vulnerability of Windows XP, see:
Security Software Is Just a Bandaid for Windows XP Machines

For information on moving your Windows XP settings and files to a new computer, see:
Windows Easy Transfer