Businesses using the Windows 10 operating system are facing an Oct. 14 deadline to upgrade their software before Microsoft terminates support, including critical security updates.
The necessity of having up-to-date software is not a trivial matter and should be addressed before Windows 10 support ends, according to Brad Cothran with Piedmont-based SafeIT.
Security priority
With the vast majority of businesses using Microsoft products, the end-of-support deadline affects businesses large and small with varying degrees of awareness about the impact.
Cothran said while larger companies are more likely to have their own internal IT support responsible for safeguarding computer systems, smaller businesses might not have dedicated staff to handle their technology needs. This could leave them vulnerable to the substantial security risk of running outdated software.
Companies like SafeIT, which provide managed information technology support, fill the knowledge gap and help companies protect their systems and their data.
But even without outside support, businesses can take steps to protect their systems, Cothran said.
One of the most important things to know is to use the professional version of Microsoft’s operating system rather than the personal or home version. The security is more robust, which is important in an age when cybersecurity threats are constant and ever-evolving, Cothran said.
The upgrade from Windows 10 Professional to Windows 11 Professional is free, Cothran said, and will resolve the immediate issue of support ending for the older software. He said the newest software does have minimum hardware requirements which could prevent it from running effectively on systems five years old or older.
Because bad actors are always adapting to new technology, Cothran said businesses need to be aware of the threats and the options they have to mitigate risk to their systems.
“The attacks are more and more prevalent, and that’s the majority of what we do,” he said.
