Microsoft Corporation ended support of its Windows XP operating system on Tuesday, leaving many customers who use the outdated software exposed to cyber-attacks. The operating system is 12 years old, so the world's biggest software maker decided to no longer provide security updates that close holes in its security. The danger is that hackers who find new vulnerabilities in XP will be able to exploit them freely. While few consumers still run computers with XP, the operating system remains widely used by industries and businesses, CNN reported. An estimated 95 percent of bank automated-teller machines (ATMs) run on XP. General Electric (GE) Intelligent Platforms, which sells industrial software, discovered 75 percent of its utility customers still use the operating system. Cyber-security firm Cylance said one of its clients is a major hospital where XP still is on more than 100,000 devices, including computers that hold patient records.
