Microsoft’s German division admitted in a blog post on Monday that Windows 7 is no longer fit for business, even though the operating system is supported until 2020. Is this another attempt to push users on the Windows 10 bandwagon, or is it an actual thing companies should be concerned about?
For more than 10 years, Windows 7 has been reliable operating system, but now it can no longer keep up with the sophisticated security attacks. The extended support for Windows 7 is running out in three years permanently.
What does this mean for users?
Well, first of all from January 14, 2020 there will be no more security updates, and no technical support for Windows 7.
“Windows 7 comes slowly into the years. Today, it does not meet the requirements of modern technology, nor the high security requirements of IT departments,” said Markus Nitschke, Head of Windows at Microsoft Deutschland. “As early as in Windows XP, we saw that companies should take early steps to avoid future risks or costs.”
The basic support for Windows 7 ended two years ago. This means that users are left with important security updates, but no new functionality, hence the “no longer fit for business” announcement. No basic support equals higher operating costs due to malware attacks and incompatibility with new hardware accessories.
Windows 7 is based on long-outdated security architectures. Three years before the end of the support, corporate customers in particular should deal with the transition to a modern operating system, underlines the blog post. The sensitive data of companies and users who still use Windows 7 within 3 years, will be faced with enormous dangers. We already live in a world where virtually every company expects cyber attacks.
Bottom line: Microsoft’s Windows 7 will have no more security updates and technical support starting with January 14, 2020. From what we can gather, this is in fact something you should take into consideration. Even if there’s a slight attempt to push users to upgrade to Windows 10, the compatibility and security issues are still there, and you know what they say – better safe than sorry.