Microsoft wants small-business owners in Africa to upgrade their operating systems to Windows 8 because computers running on Windows XP will stop receiving service on April 9, making them vulnerable to cyber attacks, HumanIPO reports.
The service that will end April 9 includes users receiving critical security patches and updates.
Microsoft said failure by these businesses to upgrade will make them increasingly vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware and cyber attacks that steal or damage personal information and business data, according to HumanIPO.
“With small businesses contributing up to 50 percent of gross domestic product and up to 90 percent of employment in many sub-Saharan African economies, it is vital that they embrace newer technologies to remain competitive and thrive in the modern era,” said Rotimi Olumide, Windows group leader for West, East, Central Africa and Indian Ocean Islands.
Microsoft claims that Windows 8 — equipped with suites like Office 365 — offers complete protection against modern threats and has more value than personal computers running on XP, according to an AllAfrica report.
Benefits of Windows 8 and Window 8.1 include increased speed, reliability, security and a range of productivity-boosting apps, Microsoft claims. They also costs less to own, with new hardware experiences including tools that allow the workforce to stay productive and connected virtually anytime, anywhere, according to AllAfrica.
Chege Thumbi is director of technology and operations at NIC Bank, a commercial bank in Kenya. The bank moved from Windows XP to Windows 8 — a critical and necessary decision, Thumbi told AllAfrica.
Startup time was reduced from several minutes to seconds, and the new system’s range of business applications means the bank can continue to innovate and remain an industry leader, Thumbi said. “With Windows 8 we know that our systems are secure with the latest security hot fixes, giving us peace of mind, and everything operates more smoothly and efficiently.”
Research by Microsoft shows XP users are five times more susceptible to viruses and attacks than Windows 8.1 users, HumanIPO reports. Older operating systems weren’t designed to be protected against rapidly evolving hacking techniques of today.
“End of service doesn’t mean XP will stop running, but over time security and performance will be severely affected,” said Rotimi Olumide, Windows Group lead for West, East, Central Africa and Indian Ocean Islands, in the HumanIPO report.
Businesses will likely spend three times more on dealing with security issues in the next year if they don’t plan to migrate from Windows XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8, according to data from International Data Corporation (IDC), Olumide said.
Microsoft partnered with Laplink to give XP users a free data migration tool
called PCmover Express, which backs up all files before migration as users will not be able
to keep any files, settings, or programs when they upgrade, HumanIPO reports.
