BREAKING NEWS: Microsoft Silently “Partially” Supports Windows XP until July 14, 2015

Microsoft quietly posted a short blog in its Malware Protection Center on Wednesday afternoon that Windows XP malware updates will continue until July 14, 2015, an additional 463-days after the April 8, 2014 end-of-support (EOS) deadline. This amounts to “partial” extended support.

The move has caught industry influencers off-guard, as Autotask just held a well-attended Windows XP Webinar at 11:00AM Eastern on January 16^th, and our brand XP Migrations just held the New York City “Million Mile Migration Madness” workshop, featuring the Windows XP EOS matter, last night in Manhattan (see pic). In both cases, no mention of this latest development was made.

What does it mean?

Clarification needed. April 8, 2014 is still the official EOS for Windows XP. That has not changed. So understand that after April 8, 2014, Windows XP users will no longer receive new security updates, non-security hotfixes, free or paid assisted support options, or online technical content updates from Microsoft. All this announcement does is signal that one attack vector, malware, will be supported until July 14, 2015.

Office 2003. This does not impact the end of support for Office 2003, which remains April 8, 2014.

Server-side. Over the holidays, Microsoft internally clarified what the Windows Server 2003 support scenario looks like.

Windows Server 2003 is supported until July 14, 2015. This is a major clarification from April 8, 2014 where there was a miscommunication. And actually, the malware support extension for Windows XP more closely aligns Windows XP with the Windows Server 2003 EOS.

Small Business Server 2003 EOS is very complex. The underlying server operating system EOS is indeed July 14, 2015. But individual components are not supported after certain dates as outlined in a Microsoft blog and reproduced here:

*Note that WSS 2.0 EOS was three days ago on January 14, 2014.

Partner-side. In the next few days, you are going to hear Microsoft partners moan and groan that Microsoft is giving mixed signals. That’s not a surprise, as it’s the “modus opernadi” for many right now in light of recent developments such as the Office 365 compensation rejiggering, etc. What most in our community may not realize is that this adds up to a great opportunity. Your migration business model opportunity essentially has another 1.25 years of life in terms of having a sales and marketing story. In business, as the proverb goes, may your investment have a long life. And for those brethren claiming that they don’t have any customers running XP, look in the mirror when you recite that and only repeat the first five words about not having any customers. It’s a new year, and there’s no time like the present to go out and get some!

OEMS. Lenovo and others will benefit from this partial extension. There is an extended opportunity to bring new cool stuff to market, such as advancements in touch devices and what is rumored to be Windows 9.

My own take. Folks weren’t moving fast enough off Windows XP. I know this. So the reality is the delay was necessary. I’m concerned that it will amount to kicking the can down the road and customers will still not feel a sense of urgency to get off Windows XP for all the “other reasons.” Remember that malware is just one of at least a dozen reasons to leave Windows XP now!

Editor's Note: We have already received a lot of great responses to this article, including this quote from Julian Wilkinson:

"I think it's not that hard to read that this has *nothing* to do with XP - and everything to do with the security software. For enterprise customers, this applies to System Center Endpoint Protection, Forefront Client Security, Forefront Endpoint Protection and Windows Intune running on Windows XP. For consumers, this applies to Microsoft Security Essentials. Stuff running on XP - Sure - XP itself - Not."