On the 12th January 2016 Microsoft are calling an end to older versions of their Internet Explorer (IE) web browser. This means that a patch for versions lower than IE 11 will ask users to update to the most up-to-date version available.
What does this mean for users?
Versions older than IE 11 will no longer get security updates. These fix security vulnerabilities, which cyber hackers exploit.
These versions of the browser will still work for the user, it will just no longer receive any feature or security updates. Over time, the users web experience will deteriorate, as some websites may not display or function correctly. As hackers discover new security vulnerabilities, the user will not be protected against these. As a result they may suffer from a cyber-attack.
Why Microsoft?
With fewer versions of Internet Explorer to support, the web can move forward withnew capabilities being widely adopted. This will provide better customer support for the latest release, as the Microsoft team can focus their resources on just the latest browser.
Users currently using the Windows 7 operating system or above (except windows 8 as they should upgrade to 8.1 for free) have access to Internet Explorer 11. This is the most current release.
Advantages to the changes
Web developers and software developers will be able to improve the experience a user can receive. They will be able to take full advantage of the new web technologies and web standards, such as HTML5 and CSS.
Another reason is that with many devices connected to the internet are now smart phones or tablets. The browsers on these devices only use the latest web technologies and standards, so websites need to be up-to-date too.
For a safe and happy web experience, our recommendations are to:
* Keep your Web Browser(s) up-to-date
* Uninstall old browsers
* Uninstall old versions of Java
* Upgrade old laptops and PCs with Windows 10
