Operating systems are just as interesting near retirement as they are before release. Take the classic Windows XP, for example. Microsoft has it dated for April 8, 2014.
The software titan will not provide any further security updates to it after this day, and Microsoft has been for a recommending users (for a while now, actually) to make the move to a newer operating system as soon as possible.
But patches or no patches —Japanese authorities are not going down without a fight.
The Japanese government has obviously got wind of Microsoft’s plans, and while it plans on deploying a newer version of Windows on most of its computers, the high cost of the transition may actually keep Windows XP on several machines beyond the retirement date.
A report over at RocketNews24 reveals that a number of prefectural governments in the country (local governments) have found a way to solution to stick with Windows XP — while keeping their data safe.
Authorities in Aichi, Ichinomiya City and Toyohashi City plan to remove Internet cable from Windows XP computers, and even tape up Ethernet ports to make sure employees do not plug them back in.
While this solution may sound strange — it may in fact be quite effective.
Microsoft has warned that the biggest risk by far is that hackers and cybercriminals could attempt to exploit unpatched Windows XP systems over the Internet. While the government will ultimately get around upgrading all computers, this at least buys them more time after the retirement date.
