Kiwis lead the world in Windows XP migration shift...

With just a week until Microsoft stops providing security updates for Windows XP, Australia and New Zealand are statistically ahead of the world in preparedness.

That's according to Trend Micro Smart Protection Network data revealed this week, which claims that while 32% of all PCs in the world are still running Windows XP, only 6.57% of ANZ PCs are still using the soon to be out of date operating system.

While this seems to be a comforting figure, and proof of Microsoft's commitment to the migration effort across the region, the hard work is not over yet - with 6.5% of ANZ PCs still enormously vulnerable.

And for those who believe such individual failures to upgrade will have little impact across the wider community, Sanjay Mehta, managing director, Trend Micro Australia and New Zealand, warns they could become a real threat to everyone on the internet.

After April 8, when Microsoft stops providing security updates for Windows XP, those PCs still running Windows XP will become the most viable attack target on the internet for malware and cybercrime.

While not exactly a ground-breaking discovery given the heightened media interest during the past twelve months, Mehta does believe that in the case of Windows XP and the fact that people running Windows XP are more of a danger to others than themselves, it’s no longer personal business and choice.

This is why Trend Micro is making available a printable flyer (see below) that explains the end of security support for Windows XP, what it means for someone running Windows XP, and what they should do about it.

"The idea is that if people see someone running Windows XP, they can use this flyer to help them protect themselves and in so doing also help protect the internet," Mehta says.

"Whether it’s friends, family, or local businesses we hope that everyone in ANZ speaks up in the next week if they see someone running Windows XP.

"We usually think of Internet security as something “other people” take care of. And usually the professionals can take care of a lot of it.

"But we are all part of the internet and we all have a responsibility not just to ourselves but to each other to keep it as safe as possible."

In this extraordinary time it really is appropriate to do something different argues Mehta. Regarding Windows XP and the risks coming after April 8, 2014, if you see it, say it...

For more information on how to move away from Windows XP click here