If you are still using Internet Explorer 8, 9 or 10, you will soon receive a notice that the browser will no longer receive regular security updates, flagging up a crucial time to upgrade the software.
The last patch for these versions of Internet Explorer – except for a small number of users, including users of Windows versions where these IE iterations are the most recent available – will arrive on January 12, which is Tuesday next week.
This patch will include a few bug fixes – and, more vitally, an “End of Life” notification urging users to upgrade to either Internet Explorer 11 or Edge, the two Microsoft web browsers that are continuing to regularly receive updates.
Though Microsoft has warned far in advance about the January 12 cut-off date, there are thought to still be several hundred million users of these older Internet Explorer versions. They could therefore become overly easy targets of malware unless they change their browsers quickly.