Fearmongers, on the other hand…
When I tell people it’s quite possible to continue using Windows 10 safely after the end-of-support date, I often receive variations of that comment in return.
While I don’t expect to change anyone’s mind, I want to explain why I feel that way and why the hype over an impending Windows 10 apocalypse is incorrect.
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Continuing to use Windows 10 safely
Windows 10 won’t suddenly become unsafe when support ends. It’ll keep working fine, and security tools like Microsoft Defender will still get updates. If you’re careful with what you click, download, and run, and keep your security and other software current, you can stay safe without panicking or rushing to upgrade.
Windows 10 will keep running
What happens on that end-of-support date? Nothing. Seriously, your Windows 10 machine will run just as well the day after support ends as it did the day before.
“End of support” means that there will be no more updates to the operating system itself. No new features (though that’s supposedly been the case for a while), no bug fixes, and, perhaps of greatest concern, no security fixes. If Microsoft discovers a security vulnerability in Windows 10 after the end-of-support date, that vulnerability will (probably) not get fixed.
That last part, of course, is what has many people’s knickers in a twist.
Security software will keep running and updating
Windows Security/Microsoft Defender will continue to be updated through 2028. From the Microsoft page How to prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11 as of this writing:
Microsoft will also continue to provide Security Intelligence Updates for Microsoft Defender Antivirus through at least October 2028.
This means that as new malware inevitably evolves, Microsoft Defender will continue to be updated to recognize and act on any new or old malware that might make it to your system. Even though Windows 10 itself won’t be “fixed”, should there be a vulnerability for the malware to exploit, Microsoft Defender will continue to protect you from that malware.
The same is true for many other third-party security packages. Their support is not tied to Windows 10’s schedule, and many, if not most, will continue to do their job for some time after Windows 10’s end of support.
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It’s highly unlikely there’s a backlog of exploits
Some folks speculate that malware authors have a collection of existing vulnerabilities in Windows 10 that they’re waiting to exploit until after the end-of-support date. The theory is they can then release malware exploiting those vulnerabilities without concern that the vulnerabilities will be fixed.
It’s possible, but not very likely. Counting on the restraint of malware authors to delay their activity seems like a weak justification for panic.
Will there be vulnerabilities exploited after Windows 10 end of support? No doubt. Will it be a flood? Highly unlikely. And even if there was, other approaches to safety will work to keep you safe.
Malware arrival is mostly in your control
Most malware arrives in one of three ways.
- You download and run a file containing malware.
- You open an attachment containing malware.
- You click a link that eventually downloads and runs malware.
This isn’t about blame.
In fact, it’s great news. The common thread here is you, and that means you are in control.
You can avoid most malware by:
- Being careful about what you download and run.
- Being careful about what attachments you open.
- Being careful about what links you click on.
And, of course, backing up.
You should be doing all that already. If so, you’ve already taken the most important steps to keep yourself safe, regardless of whether your operating system is being updated or not.
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Some folks have already done this
While I recommend keeping your system as up-to-date as possible, not everyone feels the same way.
Some people explicitly disable or avoid Windows 10 updates for months, if not years. In other words, Windows 10 support ended for them long ago when they did whatever they did to prevent automatic updates.
They’ve been doing just fine. In fact, many of them consider Windows updates themselves riskier than whatever threat an unpatched operating system might pose. Some are even looking forward to the end of Windows 10 support so they can stop being concerned about which update will break what next.
I don’t agree with their position, but that doesn’t mean it can’t work. And it’s a good example of being able to use Windows 10 safely without security updates.
We’ve been here twice before
I have a strong sense of déjà vu. We’ve been here before. Twice, in fact.
Windows XP’s end-of-support date came and went. While many people continued to use it past that date, there was no “XPocalypse”, even though there were dire warnings from the naysayers. The article How Do I Protect My Windows XP After They Stop Sending Updates? should seem very familiar.
Windows 7 had the same kerfuffle. How To Keep Using Windows 7 Safely After Support Ends should, again, seem familiar.
In both cases, people elected to continue to use XP or 7 beyond its end-of-support date, and did so safely. Indeed, some continue to use those older operating systems even today.
There’s little reason to believe Windows 10 will be any different.
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Perfection doesn’t exist
“But Leo, there could be problems! How can you advise people not to protect themselves?”
Let me correct you: there will be problems. There will be problems with unsupported Windows 10, and there will be problems with supported Windows 11. There will be problems with their alternatives. None of them are perfect. Perfect security does not exist.
And I am advising them to protect themselves. I’m advising them to do so in ways that will allow them to stay safe when running Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support date.
Security is a spectrum, and our job is to adopt behaviors that stack the deck in our favor. Coupled with appropriate security habits, sticking with Windows 10 is not the disaster many make it out to be, just as moving to Windows 11 is not the nirvana some might have you believe.
Getting security fixes from Microsoft is only one piece of a very complex security puzzle. Would I rather that people use supported operating systems? Of course. But that’s a myopic wish and ignores the practical reality, which is that many cannot or do not want to update to Windows 11. That doesn’t mean they’re doomed.
Do this
Take responsibility for your security. Be extra skeptical. Be extra wary. Keep your security software as up-to-date as possible. If the software you rely on — especially security software — eventually drops support for Windows 10, then find alternatives that support it for as long as you need to run Windows 10.
Yes, someday you’ll update, probably when you get a new computer; but with sensible behavior, there’s no reason to panic about Windows 10 end of support.
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