Windows XP 'still used by three quarters of UK businesses'

Microsoft's Windows XP is still being used by around three quarters of UK businesses just one week before the company ceases support for the aged software.

New figures from British software company AppSense suggest that the 12-year-old operating system is powering computers at 77% of organisations across the country.

Windows XP support will cease on April 8, after which the software will no longer receive security updates, leaving it vulnerable to hackers.

Companies can pay for continued support for their Windows XP machines beyond this date, but AppSense's data indicates that less than one third of the companies surveyed plans on doing this.

Although the number of Windows XP machines at each firm is said to be relatively small, the software company warned that just one outdated PC could put an entire network at risk.

'While it's clear that organisations are committed to getting off the Windows XP platform in the medium term, they are opening their organisations to potential threats by leaving systems unsupported,' said AppSense's Simon Townsend.

The banking industry is expected to be hit hard by the end of Windows XP support, as the vast majority of the world's cash machines are powered by the software.

Microsoft will provide virus alerts for Windows XP users until July next year, but has warned users that anti-malware solutions on an outdated OS are limited.