One year for Windows 10 to say goodbye and you without updating: these are the risks you expose yourself to

The clock is already counting down to Windows 10. In just one year, on October 14, 2025, Microsoft will stop offering official support for this operating system that is still at the top of the market. As has been proven in recent months, the situation is quite tense for those users and companies that refuse change.

According to the data of Statcounter September 2024, Windows 11 market share is 33.37%. Meanwhile, Windows 10 is still at 62.79%.

This almost strange resistance to updating is due to several factors, such as the perception that Windows 11 is bad, concerns about software and hardware compatibility, and simple laziness. Also, the misinformation about Windows 11 doesn’t help.

But what options do users have? Microsoft, aware of the problem, has announced that it will offer an extended security updates (ESU) program for Windows 10, similar to the one it implemented with Windows 7. This will allow users, especially businesses, to purchase security updates for three additional years.

Beyond money, keeping Windows 10 beyond its end poses other risks

The consequences of not updating to Windows 11, believe it or not, are serious. Devices running Windows 10 after October 2025 will stop receiving security updates, putting them at greater risk of cyberattacks, and these people are most likely already rubbing their hands and waiting for the time to come.

The situation becomes even more serious considering how sophisticated cyberattacks are today. In addition, cybercriminals are having plenty of time to create a strategy. The attacks of ransomware, phishing and other forms of malware They will be their great assets and will make Windows 10 users very easy for these attacks.

Furthermore, sectors that handle sensitive data, such as finance or healthcare, could face compliance issues when using outdated operating systems. PCI DSS standards, for example, require that systems be updated and protected with the latest security patches.

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Tags: Updates, Malware, Microsoft, Computers, Operating systems, Windows 11, Windows 10, Cybersecurity