Microsoft Warns: Hackers Targeting Popular Apps for Bank Data

Microsoft has issued a warning for all users of their products. People are advised to update their applications as soon as possible.

The technological giant will no longer be able to provide security updates for errors in older versions of its software, which could expose users to security risks, Microsoft warned, Metro reports.

The Microsoft Office 2016 and Office 2019 support will be interrupted from Tuesday, which means that these older applications will no longer benefit from updates or technical assistance.

Opportunity for cyber attacks

Losing support is a great danger to people who continue to use applications, because it means that the company’s technicians have ceased to issue security updates for any serious bugs coming out. These bugs can be exploited by hackers, which could take advantage of them to steal your documents and, possibly, to access your bank accounts, if they manage to take control of your computer.

Applications that are part of the office suite include Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. According to Jeremy Carlson, product marketing director for Microsoft 365, the further use of old versions could expose users devices to security threats.

Vulnerable applications to be updated

Among the applications to be updated as soon as possible:

• Word
• Excel
• Outlook
• PowerPoint
• Access
• Publisher
• Skype for Business
• OneNote

“Continuing the use of the software after the end of the support period can do vulnerable devices at potential security threats, productivity losses and compliance problems”, Carlson told a Microsoft Community forum.

“After that date, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, corrections for errors or technical assistance for these products.” He added that app updates should be made as soon as possible: “Now is the time to pass all the devices that run Office 2016 or Office 2019 to a version that benefits from support.”

The main applications affected by this change are Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Access, Publisher and Skype for Business.