Apr 14, 2014 : IRS Misses Windows XP Deadline
📅 - Although Microsoft announced the end of support for Windows XP in 2008, many organizations failed to switch over their computers by the April 8th deadline, including the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, leaving the company having to pay Microsoft millions of dollars for an extra year of security patches.
According to a report from Computerworld, the IRS upgraded only 47% of its 110,000 computers to Windows 7, leaving around 58,000 computers vulnerable to attacks.
In a statement made on Friday, the agency assured users that the devices that were not upgraded yet were not the ones used in handling tax filings.
“None of our filing season systems or other major business operating systems for taxpayers use Windows XP,” said an IRS spokesperson. “The IRS emphasizes the situation involving Windows will have no impact on taxpayers, including people filing their tax returns in advance of the April 15 deadline.”
Computerworld estimates that the company will spend around $11.6 million for one year of “Customer Support” from Microsoft, roughly $200 per PC, although the IRS disputed that estimate on Friday by stating it would spend less than $500,000.
The IRS is not the only government having to pay for extra XP support; the United Kingdom has paid around $9.2 million for an extra 12 months of support for Windows XP, Exchange 2003, and Office 2003.
The agency said it intends to have all computers upgraded to Windows 7 by the end of 2014.
According to a report from Computerworld, the IRS upgraded only 47% of its 110,000 computers to Windows 7, leaving around 58,000 computers vulnerable to attacks.
In a statement made on Friday, the agency assured users that the devices that were not upgraded yet were not the ones used in handling tax filings.
“None of our filing season systems or other major business operating systems for taxpayers use Windows XP,” said an IRS spokesperson. “The IRS emphasizes the situation involving Windows will have no impact on taxpayers, including people filing their tax returns in advance of the April 15 deadline.”
Computerworld estimates that the company will spend around $11.6 million for one year of “Customer Support” from Microsoft, roughly $200 per PC, although the IRS disputed that estimate on Friday by stating it would spend less than $500,000.
The IRS is not the only government having to pay for extra XP support; the United Kingdom has paid around $9.2 million for an extra 12 months of support for Windows XP, Exchange 2003, and Office 2003.
The agency said it intends to have all computers upgraded to Windows 7 by the end of 2014.
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