The 14 year old Windows XP is a big risk as it's still running on many enterprise computers even now the OS doesn't receive security patches from Microsoft anymore, according to David Strom, security evangelist at IBM. Both the government and businesses are slow in replacing the OS.
Strom notes that about 75% of all water services still run on Windows XP, as well as the majority of ATMs. According to him that's a big risk as XP computers have a bigger risk of being infected with malware. Windows XP still powers payment terminals, cash registers, traffic cameras, self-scanners in supermarkets, airport monitors etc. For the majority of these devices it's hard for system administrators to update these systems.
With the rise of Internet of Things, which means more and more devices are connected to the internet, the danger of XP systems is even bigger because malware infections can spread faster than before. Windows 10 could be a possible solution, according to Strom. "The early buzz is that the new Windows 10 is better and more solid than previous versions. It might be time for a major desktop refresh to get Windows XP out of your hair once and for all", he concludes.
