Microsoft Reiterates Support For Windows XP Is Dead, Proves It By Neglecting OS On Patch Tuesday

One could make an argument that Microsoft is the king of mixed messages. Just look at how the Redmond software giant has handled Windows XP over the years -- it was given several reprieves before finally being shunned for support, though it still received an out-of-cycle patch for Internet Explorer to address a serious zero-day bug. However, that was a one-time thing, and in a blog post regarding yesterday's Patch Tuesday roll out, Microsoft made it clear that XP is no longer supported.

"For those wondering, Windows XP will not be receiving any security updates today. For some time we have been recommending customers move to a modern operating system like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 to help stay safe, and now is a great time to make that move," Microsoft stated in a blog post.

Windows XP Desktop

That wasn't just lip service, either -- Patch Tuesday came and went with nary a security patch relevant to Windows XP. There were eight security bulletins in all, two rated Critical and the other half dozen rated Important. All combined, they addressed 13 Common Vulnerability & Exposures (CVEs) in .NET Framework, Office, SharePoint, Internet Explorer, and Windows.

The bottom line here is that Windows XP is now officially dead, save for those businesses (like the IRS) paying a fee for extended support. For everyone else, there will be no more security updates going forward.

Thumbnail Image Source: Flickr (Al Ibrahim)