<p>As of April 8, tech giant Microsoft will no longer be supporting the Windows XP operating system or Office 2003 meaning businesses using these platforms will no longer have security fixes, software updates or technical support.</p><p>Firms who continue to run Windows XP or Office 2003 on their computers will be at an increased risk of security breaches and malware viruses.</p><p>Microsoft has advised business owners using the XP operating systems and Outlook 2003 email server to upgrade to newer versions of the software, such as Windows 8 and Outlook 365, to protect company data from hackers and viruses.</p><p>James Morrish, chief technologist for HP UK & Ireland, urges businesses to upgrade: "With just seven days until Microsoft ceases support for Windows XP, it's surprising that there are still so many UK businesses that haven't yet started upgrading to a newer operating system.</p><p><a href="http://startups.co.uk/microsoft-to-end-support-for-windows-xp-and-office-2003-from-april-8/">Keep reading...</a></p>