MSRT will still be updated for Windows XP after April 8

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Microsoft’s Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) checks for and attempts to remove known malware from Windows computers during the Windows Update process.

Previously, it was assumed that MSRT would stop being updated for Windows XP once support for that O/S ends in April. A few weeks ago, Microsoft confirmed that it will continue to update MSRT on Windows XP computers until July 15, 2015.

This is good news for anyone who will still be running XP after April, but it’s important to note that MSRT is not a substitute for a full anti-malware solution, and should not be seen as protection against the flood of malware, targeted at Windows XP computers, expected to appear after April 8.

About jrivett

Jeff Rivett has worked with and written about computers since the early 1980s. His first computer was an Apple II+, built by his father and heavily customized. Jeff's writing appeared in Computist Magazine in the 1980s, and he created and sold a game utility (Ultimaker 2, reviewed in the December 1983 Washington Apple Pi Journal) to international markets during the same period. Proceeds from writing, software sales, and contract programming gigs paid his way through university, earning him a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science) degree at UWO. Jeff went on to work as a programmer, sysadmin, and manager in various industries. There's more on the About page, and on the Jeff Rivett Consulting site.

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