Time is running out. Although Windows 11 still represents the minority in the current distribution of users of the Microsoft operating system, Windows 10 will soon become obsolete. The situation is not good, since, according to statistics, more than 60% of active computers have not yet updated their version and are still stuck on the previous edition of the platform.
Security experts are very concerned about what will happen in October when official support for Windows 10 ends. So far, since its launch in 2021, only about 30% of users have upgraded to Windows 11. Sentiment towards the current version of the operating system is not good and that is hindering its expansion. While Microsoft is pushing users to upgrade or buy another computer, security specialists see the situation differently.
Is the situation that bad?
As companies like ESET mention, there are millions of devices and computers that are still using Windows 10 and that do not seem to be in the process of updating to Windows 11. Specific statistics are provided, such as that 65% of computers in Germany still have Windows 10. That represents a figure of about 32 million devices, so it is a really high number. In other countries the situation is similar and the worst thing is that analysts comment that, incomprehensibly, Windows 10 has even gained users throughout the past year 2024.
Even in the gaming sector, where it is common to always upgrade to the latest version of Windows for the best performance, the data is bad. Thus, it is discovered that 42% of Steam users still have Windows 10 and that is not good news either.
Security risks and other issues
What Microsoft is saying is that users and companies that do not update their computers to Windows 11 will undoubtedly face security problems. This is obvious and expected. The solution, at least temporarily, will be to pay for the extended support period with a cost that will be paid annually. But, in the long term, it will not be a solution. In addition, specialists insist that security problems are not the only inconvenience that users and companies will face. When Windows 10 support ends, in addition to leaving a security hole through which hackers could sneak in, compatibility and performance problems could also appear.
Knowing that there are thousands of companies that have their computers without updating and that they will be left behind with Windows 10 does not suggest a very optimistic future. Compatibility problems will add to this security risk, which will obviously be the most serious. By not receiving updates, hackers could take advantage of this to carry out attacks and spread all kinds of infections among users of computers that have not been updated.
Knowing the hacker nature of the game, these cybercriminals may already be preparing for the end of support in October. They may be preparing massive attacks, knowing that millions of computers will still be connected to the Internet with Windows 10. To avoid these problems, you will have to purchase extended support, change your computer, or resort to one of the alternatives, such as 0patch, which promises unofficial patches until 2030.
Unfortunately, analysts also believe that the end of support for Windows 10 will most likely come as a surprise to millions of people. Worst of all, they believe that these users and businesses, or at least a large number of them, will continue to use their computers without worrying about security flaws. Since the computers will continue to function apparently without problems, they will not find any reason to worry and will continue to use their computers without really being aware of the risks they are exposing themselves to. That will undoubtedly be a problem for the industry and something we would have to take into account if we find ourselves in that situation. We will have to see, in any case, if Microsoft ends up making any decision to redirect the situation.
