End of Windows XP
Microsoft’s official support for Windows XP will end on April 8. After that date, any technical support, including security updates, latest driver support, and online tech support, will no longer be provided for Windows XP.
With less than three months remaining before the end of support, a new market is being formed overseas, particularly in Japan, to safely transfer data in Windows XP. However, Korea is not fully prepared for the termination.
Microsoft has already notified users of the end of support several times. Nevertheless, upgrading Windows XP won’t be easy, in that many users are heavily dependent on the operating system, and a lot of companies are still running the system.
To deal with the problem, services that transfer data from Windows XP, or enable PCs to respond to outside attacks, are emerging in Japan. For example, Fuji Soft is providing companies with computer upgrade services that automate data backup and recovery, along with the installation or setup of operating systems and application programs. Unitcom is selling PCs that include the latest Windows XP service pack. After the purchase, the company’s technician installs the PC, sets up broadband or dial-up connections to the Internet in Windows XP, and constructs a Windows XP-based environment.
In contrast, Korea is not ready for the end of support for Windows XP. Locally, the soon-to-be-defunct operating system accounts for 18% of the total, which is higher than that of the US (12.12%), Japan (11.24%), or Australia (7.5%). In particular, malignant code is likely to wreak havoc on local financial institutions and government offices after the termination of support, since a large proportion of those public and private enterprises still use Windows XP.