Microsoft has announced that they will start the Windows 7 end of life process on Jan. 14, 2020. The company will end support for Windows 7 on laptops and desktops, and will no longer patch it with any security updates. This will adversely effect a large population of Microsoft’s consumer base. Although the operating system is 10 years old, it’s widely used by millions of users and business across the globe.
Though Microsoft might encourage existing windows 7 machines and systems to be upgraded to Windows 10, it may prove to be a difficult process for many companies. This will leave those that do not jump on to the upgrade much more open and at risk to security breaches and hackers. That’s where Sequentur comes in!
What is Windows 7 end of life?
End of Life (EOL)
End-of-Life (EOL) is a term the OEM uses to indicate a piece of equipment has reached the end of its “useful life” and will no longer market, sell or update equipment after a specified date. This is most often due to a newer model being released by the manufacturer that replaces the older model. During the EOL phase, the manufacturer may still offer maintenance options, but at a premium price.
Essentially this means, on Jan.14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer support Windows 7, it won’t patch security holes in the operating system. And if you have problems or bugs develop, you will not have the option to contact Microsoft to fix those problems.
How will Windows 7 end of life effect my security?
Historically when Microsoft has announced software is entering an end of life phase, Microsoft has offered patches in the run-up to the date, to secure the operating system as much as possible. This also means that hackers have access to vulnerability and security breaches after the end-of-life period began.
It is not unheard of for hackers, armed with the knowledge of when end of life hits, to wait until after that date to explore methods to exploit vulnerable systems and wreak havoc. After all, if Microsoft isn’t going to support the operating system and there are still plenty of people using it, why not attack?
The fact is, the sooner people can get away from Windows 7 and switch to Windows 10, the better.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4057281/windows-7-support-will-end-on-january-14-2020
IMAGE CREDIT: https://www.managedencryption.co.uk/security-risks-as-windows-7-goes-end-of-life-key-things-to-consider/
