MICROSOFT will today end support for its iconic Internet Explorer web browser – including versions 8, 9 and 10.
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| From January 12th 2016, Microsoft will no longer support Internet Explorer versions 8, 9 or 10 |
Microsoft's iconic – and at times, infamous – pre-installed web browser has today reached an important milestone in its lifecycle. Its last milestone.
The US technology firm will today end support for almost-all versions of the Microsoft software, including Internet Explorer 8, 9 and 10.
The latter was only released by Microsoft in 2012, to coincide with the roll-out of Windows 8.
From January 12th 2016, Internet Explorer will no longer be supported with the latest patches and updates, leading to a number of potential online security risks.
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| Microsoft will no longer roll out the latest security patches and updates to Internet Explorer users |
Users wishing to stick with Internet Explorer, dubbed IE, should move to version 11 to ensure they are up-to-date with the latest security patches.
Microsoft made the official announcement on its online support pages.
"Beginning January 12, 2016, only the most current version of Internet Explorer available for a supported operating system will receive technical supports and security updates," it read.
"Internet Explorer 11 is the last version of Internet Explorer, and will continue to receive security updates, compatibility fixes, and technical support on Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10."
However some three-quarters of Internet Explorer users will not have upgraded their browser in time for the end-of-support deadline, research has shown.
A new survey from Camwood questioned more than 1,000 online users on whether or not they intend to make the switch to IE 11 today.
Over half – some 56 per cent – of respondents said they use Internet Explorer as their primary browser but only only 26 per cent will have made the switch by Microsoft's deadline.
A staggering 74 per cent of Internet Explorer users have no plans to upgrade before Tuesday 12th January, the survey revealed.
CEO of Camwood, Adrian Foxall told NewsNewsBlog.blogspot.com: "It’s a concern to see how many internet users are still failing to take these update deadlines seriously.
"Given the number of hacking scandals and security breaches that were reported in 2015 we were hoping to see an increase in the vigilance of individuals online.
"Unfortunately, it appears that the majority of internet users still don’t recognise regular updates as a vital part of basic internet security."
Millions of people across the globe are still using older versions of Internet Explorer – leaving them open to attacks from hackers and cybercriminals.
Microsoft has replaced its classic Internet Explorer browser with a new minimalist app called Microsoft Edge.
But despite this redesigned browser being the default in Windows 10, users have turned their back on the new app.
According to data from San Francisco-based firm Quantcast, Google Chrome accounts for a staggering 70 per cent of all browser activity on Windows 10 machines.
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| Microsoft's latest browser – Edge – incorporates Cortana into the web browsing experience |
The news comes after search firm Google announced it too will end support for its hugely popular Chrome browser on some older operating systems by April 2016.
Windows Vista, Windows XP, OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, OS X 10.7 Lion and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion will no longer be supported.
The April 2016 deadline is actually an extension to the lifecycle of Google Chrome on Windows XP.
Google announced in October 2013 that support for Chrome on XP would end by April 2015, before pushing that deadline back to December 2015.
To ensure you are running the latest version of Internet Explorer, visit the official Microsoft website and hit download.
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