- Norton AntiVirus
- Norton Internet Security
- Norton 360
- Norton Security Suite
However, be aware that in addition to running the most up-to-date security products, another important aspect of protecting your computer is to keep them current with the latest service pack and patches for the operating system.
As Microsoft has announced that they will no longer publish patches beyond the formal end of life for Windows XP, these computers may become targets for cybercriminals, particularly if new vulnerabilities are discovered in the operating system. Depending on the nature of the threats involved, Windows XP may be susceptible to viruses and risks to which more recent iterations of Windows are immune. Due to this, we strongly recommend that you upgrade your Windows XP computer to a supported operating system as soon as possible.
Frequently asked questions
Will Windows XP become less secure after Microsoft ends support on April 8th, 2014? Microsoft itself has stated, "If you continue to use Windows XP after support ends, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses." The reason is that after April 8th, Microsoft will no longer be providing technical assistance for users of Windows XP. Microsoft will stop producing any operating system updates required to close any vulnerabilities that are found in the operating system. Here is Microsoft's announcement on stopping support for Windows XP.
Does Symantec recommend updating to another operating system? Yes. If you have a Windows XP computer, we strongly recommend that you upgrade to a more modern and supported operating system as soon as possible.
Does Symantec have recommendations if I continue to use Windows XP? If you choose to continue using Windows XP, we recommend a combination of best practices:
- Ensure that your Windows XP system is patched with the latest updates from Microsoft.
- Migrate to applications that are supported with security updates and patches on Windows XP.
- Ensure that your security software is up-to-date and actively supported by your security vendor on Windows XP.
If I am running an older version of Norton AntiVirus, Norton Internet Security, Norton 360, or Norton Security Suite, will I still receive product updates and virus definitions on Windows XP? Versions of Norton products older than 21.0 will be supported based on the following guidelines:
We will provide virus definition updates for 3 years after the release of each major product version. If you receive virus definition updates for an earlier version currently, you will continue to receive the definition sets that are compatible across all Windows platforms which your Norton product supports. If you require support for an earlier version, you may be required to update to the latest version of the product during the support process.
Will Symantec support Windows XP in its next major release of Norton-branded security products? Our goal is to provide the best protection possible on the broadest set of operating systems that are used by our customers. Depending on security demands and development, future versions of Norton-branded security products may drop support for retired operating systems. As always, we will provide explicit system requirements in the documentation for every product update that we release.
