Microsoft will stop supporting Windows Server 2003 operating system from July 14 next year marking the death of another most used operating system globally and in a bid to ensure that organisations don’t end up repeating their Windows XP migration debacle, US CERT has issued a security reminder regarding Microsoft’s server operating system.
As with all unsupported software or operating system, Windows Server 2003 is at risk of a set of vulnerabilities that will remain unpatched post its end-of-support date and this is what US CERT is trying to remind to users.
“Computers running the Windows Server 2003 operating system will continue to work after support ends. However, using unsupported software may increase the risks of viruses and other security threats”, notes US CERT in the security advisory.
“Negative consequences could include loss of confidentiality, integrity, and or availability of data, system resources and business assets.”
Windows Server 2003 still has over eight months of life remaining and some may say that US CERT’s warning is rather too early, but considering that organisations around the world suffered a great deal from migration issues over Windows XP, it seems that US CERT is trying to avert another such disaster.
Windows XP is a desktop operating system and systems loaded with the operating system are generally not on the firing line, but Windows Server 2003 is different considering that it powered a fair share of production servers across the globe with many internet facing applications hosted on them. This is what makes end-of-support for Windows Server 2003 a lot more serious as compared to its desktop counterpart.
The security advisory isn’t a special one from the content part of it, but is significant considering that it has been released well in advance with a hope that organisations across the globe and especially those in the US will take note and take necessary actions.
