Microsoft XP system stop countdown: domestic security companies ushered in business opportunities

Sina Technology Luo Liang

On April 8 this year, Microsoft (37.16, -0.25, -0.67%) will stop supporting Windows XP system. By then, this system with a broad user base will be in the state of “streaking”. Microsoft hopes that after XP is shut down, users will use the Windows 8 system, but this upgrade cannot be done overnight. Security vendors are now targeting this opportunity.

XP Stop Countdown

Windows XP was released in 2001 and is the most influential operating system. In the past 12 years, although Microsoft has introduced Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 operating systems, XP is still the most popular operating system.

The latest data from US market research firm Net Applications shows that the Windows XP operating system still accounts for nearly 30% of the global desktop operating system market. According to statistics from some industry companies, the XP market share in the domestic market is still very high. In some ministries and large state-owned enterprises, XP system application ratio is at least 60%, and the highest is even close to 95%.

By constantly upgrading the operating system, Microsoft has always been a business model. Obviously, Microsoft is not willing to see many enterprise users "respect" & XP; To this end, Microsoft announced that it will stop supporting XP systems on April 8 this year and urged enterprise users to migrate to the latest operating systems. At present, it has been less than 100 days since Microsoft stopped supporting XP.

In order to allow enterprise users to upgrade their operating systems, Microsoft is constantly "educating" and "reminding" corporate users, XP systems will face many security risks after Microsoft stops supporting. Microsoft has also released a special security report that warns corporate users that the chances of using the XP system to infect malware will increase dramatically.

However, for many enterprise users, upgrading the operating system is not an easy task. In addition to companies that need to pay high fees, application migration is also a time-consuming task because many government agencies and enterprises use information system applications in the XP system environment. According to industry insiders, the migration of information systems of party and government organs and enterprises from the XP system to the Win7/8 system is difficult to complete in a short period of time. It is conservatively estimated that this process will last for 1-5 years.

As a global program, Microsoft's chances of extending support for XP systems for Chinese users are slim. Even if Microsoft will provide services that support XP in the future, it is estimated that high fees will be charged, and enterprise users may not accept it. Then, during the transition period, how to ensure information security for enterprise users has become a difficult new problem.

Opportunities for Security Vendors

The needs of enterprise users are a huge business opportunity. Many security companies have now made a new business to protect the security of XP systems. Arkoon, a security company based in Paris, France, tested an Extended XP software last October to provide technical support for enterprise users' Windows XP.

In the domestic market, the domestic information security company Beixinyuan also released a security solution called “Golden Defense Line” in December last year, providing data protection, firewall and other major functions to protect users. Data security in migration and conversion systems. Beixinyuan's security products have a very high market share in the government sector, and the company successfully listed A shares in 2012.

It is understood that security companies including Symantec (23.46, -0.12, -0.51%), McAfee, 360, Jinshan Network, Rising, etc. will launch corresponding products or services.

 The security problems brought by XP system have always existed. When the subsequent upgrades are stopped, it is easier to become the target of attack. & rdquo; North Xinyuan Chief Strategy Officer Dr. Hu Jianbin and North Xinyuan President Assistant Ren Siguo said that North Xinyuan hopes that enterprises and government departments will pay attention to the risks brought by XP lockout.

A security industry veteran who does not want to be named believes that XP lockout is an excellent development opportunity for domestic security companies, but it obviously puts higher demands on the security technology of domestic enterprises.

Microsoft shut down the XP system in order to allow more users to adopt the Windows 8 system, which is the inevitable choice for Microsoft to expand the ecosystem in the mobile era. But now it is not certain that the user will choose the Windows 8 system because the XP system is shut down. The start button disappeared in the Windows 8 system, but the user eventually let Microsoft make a compromise and re-added the button. For giving up the XP system, Microsoft should also be prepared to compromise.