Are you prepared for Windows 7 becoming end of life?
14th November 2019
Cyber criminals constantly look for new ways to attack businesses. With the announcement that Microsoft’s Windows 7 becoming “end of life”, cyber criminals have a potential new way to gain access to your company’s data.
Approximately 51 million people moved to Windows 10 in July this year following the announcement, however Windows 7 still holds a significant presence within the worlds IT estate.
What does “End of Life” mean?
From 14th January 2020 the much-loved operating system will no longer be supported by Microsoft. Windows 7 will continue to work and operate with the caveat that Microsoft will be not be releasing security updates, patches or providing technical support.
With only two months left until the deadline, it is Microsoft’s recommendation that users of Windows 7 should embrace the inevitable upgrade.
What are your options?
Change can be scary and daunting, but even more frightening is the discontinuation of security updates. This creates a real potential risk of a security breach. Security experts believe that cyber criminals are holding back on potential Windows 7 exploits to deploy after 14th January 2020, to ensure maximum impact. Only time will tell what that impact may be.
Whilst we understand that Windows 7 is familiar and appreciate that it will still work, you will be amazed how much faster and versatile the Windows 10 environment is.
Moreover, Windows 10 has a greater range of features within as newer software and hardware has been designed with Windows 10 in mind. This allows for trouble free additions of software and hardware, as your business continues to grow.
A replacement Windows 10 machine is the sensible course of action to keep your data and business secure. However, there may be other alternatives available to you depending on the age and specification of the machines in your current IT estate.
Why do it now?
Host My Office ensure that your systems are updated in a measured and controlled way, leaving nothing to the last minute. “Slow and Steady wins the race”.
The cost of doing nothing now and being forced to recover from an attack far outweighs the cost of upgrading. If you are unsure what operating system your machines are running, call us now on 03333 110020 for advice on the best way to proceed.
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