TEPCO has 48,000 Internet-connected Windows XP PCs

Despite the fact that Windows XP hasn't received any security updates in almost a year now, it's surprising how many companies are still using this ancient OS.

The latest shocker is that the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), operator of the Fukushima nuclear energy plant, still has about 48,000 Internet-connected PCs running Windows XP.

The issue was brought to light by a probe by Japan's Board of Audit, who investigated TEPCO because the foundry is keen to see the firm pay for the cleanup of the Fukushima disaster.

The in-depth investigation is designed to help TEPCO reach a state in which it can pay its dues, and one of the things the Board of Audit discovered is that TEPCO decided to save money by not upgrading its PCs until perhaps sometime in 2019. The Board has urged TEPCO to upgrade as soon as possible and the company will reportedly move this to the top of its to-do list.

The Board of Audit has decided the upgrade needs to go to the top of TEPCO's to-do list, on the grounds that the operating system's insecurity makes hanging on to it a false economy (on page 101 according to the translation engine we've used). TEPCO has reportedly, according to The Japan Times agreed to comply with the Board's very strong suggestion that an upgrade is a fine idea.

Source: The Register