A small post to remind all that Windows XP is really coming to the end of sale on the 22nd October. Currently, its available as a downgrade when buying Windows 7 Professional on an OEM license to allow users with XP compatible programs to roll back to XP in order to use them. From the 22nd October, this will not be possible.

This means that if you are running a business application that is only compatible with Windows XP, consider choosing a different application that is Windows 7 compatible, or if your current vendor offers a patch that lets the application run in Windows XP, consider downloading that and testing it.

Customers that still have volume licenses with Microsoft may still be able to download Windows XP, but over a period of time this will also come to an end.

If you are supported client, we will of course help you through any desktop migration to Windows 7. If you aren’t and would like to discuss your options and how we may be able to help, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01489 589924.

Microsoft have released a patch that allows Windows XP Mode to be installed on Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise without the need for you hardware to support virtualisation. The Register report is here. Originally your hardware had to support virtualisation, but now this does not necessarily have to be the case.

Older hardware may still have a problem, but certainly newer machines should be able to run Windows XP within Windows 7. This has made it easier for small businesses to move over to Windows 7, while being able to run legacy applications (i.e. applications designed to run in Windows XP) within a virtual environment.

Why? A lot of programs that were designed to work with Windows XP are still being used today, and while Vista’s compatibility list was an issue, Windows 7 has improved on this. However, some programs may still have a problem. Windows XP Mode is basically an operating system that runs inside another operating system, in this case, Windows XP inside of Windows 7. Now, you can install programs designed to run in XP, onto XP, and run them from XP.

Take a look at the Microsoft Windows XP Mode. It is advisable that your hardware supports virtualisation, but now no longer necessary.

Although we are not one of them, there have been a series of “Twitter” accounts that have been compromised through a scam whereby users were lead to enter their log in details at a fake Twitter site, thus handing account details straight to someone else.

These details were used to send spam through direct messaging. We recieved three direct messages and notified the users immediately to change their password.

The Register report is here.

As details were handed over unwillingly via a phishing attack, even a strong password wouldn’t have prevented this. So how do you avoid this kind of attack?

A phishing attack is one where the user is lured into handing over account details to a site that looks completely legitimate. This can be either through E-Mail, or clicking through somewhere which then guides you to the fake site.

Therefore, if you recieve anything via e-mail from anyone like Twitter, Facebook, or even the major banks such as Lloyds or HSBC, asking you to click on a link to verify account details (or similar words), the chances are its fake as they, especially banks, will not ask for your personal details via e-mail.

Also, just be wary of the web address you are visiting. ‘twitter.com’ is what your looking for. ‘twitter.something.somethingelse.domainname.net’ is not legitimate.

Check these reports on the Sophos website, here and here.
If you are a supported client and you are ever unsure, give us a call.

Microsoft have now released an “out of band” security update that addresses the vulnerability in Internet Explorer that was responsible for the attacks on Google China recently. The security issue lead to German and French authorities recommending alternative browsers, such as Firefox or Chrome.

Now, with this patch, users minimise the risk of exposing themselves to harmful code found on infected sites. If you are a Vista or Windows 7 user and you have automatic updates on, then the patch will download automatically. If you haven’t activated automatic updates, or you wish to manually update, either visit the update.microsoft.com website or, if you are a Vista or 7 user, go to Start -> All Programs -> Windows Update. Download the update Internet Explorer KB 960714 patch.

More information can be found here at the Microsoft Security site.

It has been reported both by the BBC and The Register that a bug in IE, namely “Zero Day”, was part of the cause for the security issues at Google’s Chinese offices. Following these reports, the German authorities have suggested users to switch to a different browser as Microsoft are yet to release a fix, although they have released a Security Advisory.

If you are using Internet Explorer 8, your operating system is Windows 7 and you are fully patched and updated (run Windows Update to find out), you are least at risk. For all users, we suggest performing the following to minimise any impact to your machine(s):

• Ensure that Windows is fully patched and updated. If you are using older versions of Internet Explorer, we highly recommend updating to version 8.
• Check to make sure your anti-virus is up to date too.
• To maximise protection, you could change your Internet Explorer security settings to “High”. You may have to add legitimate sites to the “trusted sites” list as high security settings may even block legitimate content.
• Be wary of the sites you are visiting and the adverts you are clicking on. If you are unsure at any stage and you are a supported client, call us for assistance.
• Alternatively, you can use a different browser. Google Chrome is fast and easy to use, while Firefox is the favourite for many.

We are keeping an eye on this one and will post updates to this story as and when they are released. If you are a supported client, call or e-mail us if you have any concerns or questions with regards to the above.