Windows XP is the operating system that has lasted the longest in history. No other PC or mobile operating system has been maintained by its manufacturer for so long.
If there was someone who bought Windows XP in the year he was born in 2001, he could use it for almost 13 years and get system security updates for free.
It's not to defend a giant of the world economy like Microsoft, but we must admit that Windows XP has worked really well for a decade and has been almost a free operating system for everyone, both for those who have never paid for it, and for those instead he bought it regularly.
But now it is over and, as it is now known, Microsoft will no longer support Windows XP with new updates, leaving users easy prey for hackers and hackers.
If you still want to keep Windows XP, from April 8 you have to take certain mandatory precautions and use the computer in a different way than before.
1) Install an excellent antivirus and an excellent firewall
Antivirus was mandatory even earlier so it shouldn't be new.
In Windows 10 you can use the integrated antivirus or install another of the free antivirus alternatives to Windows Defender for Windows 10
The firewall instead becomes necessary on an operating system that, in the absence of security patches, inevitably remains open to attacks by hackers who, to be sure, will be quite fierce and happy to take advantage of this event.
In another article the list of the best Firewalls for Windows.
2) Deactivate the Remote Desktop which in particular on Windows XP is not exactly the safest part
Go to System in the Control Panel and, in the Remote Connection tab, uncheck the option Allow users to connect remotely to your computer and press OK.
This closes the door that opens RDP and the computer is virtually immune from attacks on the vulnerable RDP protocol.
3) Check all the new programs that will be installed and avoid experimenting or testing
All downloaded EXE files should go through a check on Virustotal, this even if you have the antivirus already installed.
You can never be too sure with the programs you are using, especially considering that it will be easier for a virus to hit.
4) Restrict the user account
With Windows XP the computer is used through an administrator account (while in Windows 7 and 8 there is some limitation in this).
If you are using XP with an account with administrator rights, it is time to change and limit permissions by setting limits on your account.
See here how to protect Windows administrator and guest accounts to log on to your computer
Having a limited account in XP also means having to log in as an administrator to install new programs which is a break, but keeps the system under control.
5) Use your PC with Windows XP offline, limiting internet access or protecting it
If the need is to have a computer without needing to use the internet, then Windows XP can still be used without problems.
If, on the other hand, you still want to use the Internet, use the latest version of a browser that still supports XP such as Google Chrome (no longer Internet Explorer and not even Firefox), update the browser plugins, avoiding installing 100% unsecured extensions and activating the click to play.
See also options for privacy in Chrome and Google browser security
6) Use Sandboxie
Sandboxie creates a protected area on the system so that even a virus would be isolated from the rest of the software.
Using Sandboxie on XP may give you some extra security, as long as you use it every time you install a new program and every time you want to browse an unsecured site.
In another article it is written how to create a Sandbox where to run dangerous programs
7) Avoid the end of support message in Windows XP which can be annoying.
Finally, let me advise you to go beyond XP and install, if not Windows 8, at least Windows 7 or a Linux system .
To be regular, I would like you to consider how cheap Windows 7 is, thinking about the fact that it will be supported until 2020 and that the license can also be found on Ebay very discounted.
All Windows XP programs also work on Windows 7 thanks to XP mode.
If you prefer to change and switch to Linux, I recommend using other distributions that are simple to learn and similar to Windows itself, free and free like Zorin OS, the ideal system to replace Windows XP
Windows XP has been a great operating system that has served us for many years with honor and in an absolutely reliable way.
It is quite tragic that Microsoft wants to remove support when the operating system is still used so much (almost 30% worldwide).
However, this cannot be changed and there is no need to fight an already lost war by insisting on XP.
