Dive Brief:
- On Tuesday, April 8, Microsoft will cut cybersecurity support for Windows XP, leaving the nation's critical infrastructure more vulnerable to new cybersecurity threats.
- Microsoft says will stop coming up with "patches or fixes" for new cybersecurity gaps in Windows XP. However, the IT giant will continue to put out anti-malware signatures until July 14, 2015. This will allow customers to stop specific threats.
- Many industrial control systems, including those involved in generation, transmission and distributed, run on Windows XP and thus are more vulnerable to cyberthreats.
Dive Insight:
While utilities have prepared for the phasing out of cyber support for Windows XP, there could still be unforeseen consequences.
"The security features that are built into Windows XP are no longer sufficient to defend against modern threats," said Tim Rains, director of Microsoft Trustworthy Computing. "I fully expect the malware infection rate for Windows XP to go up after April."
Grid security has come into the national spotlight recently as reports emerged that the U.S. power grid could go down in its entirety in the event of a sophisticated attack.