[Jimbuna]

Microsoft has decided to continue providing virus warnings for the ageing Windows XP operating system until 2015.

The warnings were due to end on 8 April 2014 when all other support for the software is scheduled to stop.

However, the numbers still running the 12-year-old operating system convinced it to provide more help.

About 30% of all desktop computers are still running XP, according to figures from research firm Net Applications.

Microsoft explained its change of policy in a blogpost saying the feed of security information was the only support XP users would receive after 8 April this year.

This would mean that it continued to provide signatures for well-known malicious programs that will help Windows XP spot when viruses, trojans and other cyber-threats try to compromise a PC. The malware-spotting updates will be provided for Microsoft's Security Essentials and for a wide variety of corporate tools used to protect large numbers of PCs.

These security updates will be produced until 14 July, 2015.

However, security patches, regular updates and bug fixes for XP will stop as scheduled on 8 April.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25758308