Microsoft's free custom support could possibly have stopped WannaCrypt attack

Blaming cheap office 2013 because of not providing free custom support for its customers who was simply using old Windows software which will have retarded "WannaCrypt" attack, a media report claims the tech giant charged a king's ransom on the custom support for older versions, including Windows vista who was discontinued in 2014.

Based on a survey in Financial Times on Thursday, issuing a complimentary custom support might have protected the computers via the ransomware attack.

"But users of older software, just like Vista, need to pay hefty fees for so-called 'custom' support. Price went from $200 per device in 2014, when regular support for XP ended, to $400 the year after. It jumped to $1,000 at that time," the report said.

While Microsoft offered deals for gov departments at the first year following a support for cheap office 2010 was over, it charged templates or even, including Britain's National Health Service (NHS), to the custom support.

NHS, however, abandoned the custom support for unknown reasons in 2015 which exposed it to last week's ransomeware attack.

Microsoft, however, immediately issued a "free" patch for old software, including Or windows 7, on Friday midnight as the ransomware attack began spreading.

With regards to the report, "the high price highlights the quandary the earth's biggest software company faces due to the fact tries to force customers to shift to newer and many more secure software, yet still time earning earnings from army of engineers it employs on security issues".

The vulnerability within the Microsoft Windows software - exploited by "WannaCrypt" - crippled computers across 150 countries, with hackers demanding big from users permit them to regain removing the their data.

Microsoft has provided security updates with regard to those customers using Windows 8 and Windows Server 2003, anticipating further attacks on these earlier platforms being employed by millions.

While using company, "customers that are running supported versions of an platform (Windows, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012, Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016) could have received the safety update MS17-010 in March.

"If customers have automatic updates enabled or have installed the update, they're just protected. For other clients, we make them install the update without delay," said Phillip Misner, Principal Security Group Manager, cheap office 2016 professional plus Security Response Centre.