Running XP or Vista? Security Risk with Google Chrome
In December 2015 Google said that support for both XP & Vista would end by April 2016.
The new version of Chrome numbered 50 is not being supported on both the above operating systems.
This quite a serious change, since receipt of any new features and security updates will no longer occur. This means that without regular security fixes the two systems are more likely to become attractive to hackers.
If you wish to continue to use Chrome with the two systems, you can still do so, just be aware of the risks attached to doing this.
Many of you will know that Chrome is updated whenever you close and reopen the browser .... It does this automatically for you. If you need to check this out, click on the top right menu button (the three horizontal lines, often referred to as the Hamburger) you will see the message "Update Google Chrome". If you see no message the updating has already been done.
Obviously Google are recommending that we move away from XP & Vista and upgrade to a more recent version of Windows. Unfortunately for some, that is not within their means. However it could be an economic choice .... any hacker intrusion could be far more costly.
It becomes more complicated and risky by the fact that both XP and Vista are losing safe browsers. Microsoft has already ended support for Internet Explorer, Opera will do the same very shortly in its next version 37.
So for those of you still wanting a safe browser, that really only leaves Firefox ....and this is supported only in XP Service pack 2.
(Mozilla actually recommends an upgrade to Service Pack 3)
Please take care of your security issues, it is really important.
Pleasant safe browsing everyone.
Recent Comments
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I like Chrome ( except for today! when I am struggling with my wordpress visual editor and can't really find the cause yet!)
Is Windows 10 the safest and best to use with Chrome?
Probably the safest route to go. You either love 10 or hate it and I know some people have problems with email after upgrading amongst other difficulties.
I suppose eventually some of us will have to bite the bullet and enter a new learning phase and live with the new operating system in windows 10.
Certainly there are many things available you can do in 10 that you cannot do in 7 and 8.1 whether these are attractive is a matter of personal choice and usage.
Hey, David, I installed chrome After reading Marion's blog on the benefits it contained. Luckily I was prompted at install that Vista was no longer supported so I quit and went back to Firefox. In hindsight might have been a good thing.
Tim
I actually have an XP laptop. The 2 browsers in use are Pale Moon and Torch. Windows 10 is so much better I have to upgrade it soon. It is so rarely used, I have been in no rush.
10 is not too expensive really, for the some of the improvements you get. One solution is to install it onto a separate partition of your hard drive. This creates a dual-boot system. You can then pick and choose which system you wish to use on switch you device on.
Windows 10 is still FREE. I hold many Microsoft Certifications but I have not completed Windows 10 yet. The internals are very different. some of my past knowledge is actually useless or even a wrong in Windows 10. before the year is over hopefully several of my employees will have finished the Windows 10 certification.
We are still doing Windows 10 upgrades for people. We actually don't charge you money for this service unless we're doing it at a college or something like that.
Yes, you can up grade for free, but if you wish to have a dual boot system you have purchase 10 separately.
Good to know your staff are on th certification trail ... Best of luck.
A friend of mine is running Vista and Chrome got hacked yesterday. She uninstalled it and she won't install it again.
Sorry my warning came too late
Hope everything is OK for her now.
Some other very serious problems with Adobe Flash I have just also blogged about.
Please share these warnings as wide as possible.
What is happening is very dangerous to everyone.
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Paramount information sharing, David my friend!
This is super of you to circulate this security advice...thanks a lot!
...as an aside, I did not know that was a "hamburger'' I've been nibbling away at in the corner there...:)