The importance of upgrading to the latest Windows operating system | Computer Weekly

"Windows 10 was launched in July 2015. It was supposed to be the last major operating system (OS) upgrade, but Microsoft released Windows 11 in October 2021, and now Windows 10 has reached end of life, which means it will no longer be updated. Consumers who register for extended support and back up their PCs in the Microsoft cloud will be able to get free security updates until October 2026. Corporate PCs and devices connected to Active Directory will only receive Windows 10 security updates if they are covered by an Extended Security Updates (ESU) subscription."

"Analyst Forrester's Say goodbye to Windows 10 to reduce your cyber risk report points out that Windows 11 now has significant security features that are not available in Windows 10. These include administrator protection that Forrester says helps enable least privileged access. There is a feature called Smart App Control, which is used to validate the applications before they are run. In the report, Forrester notes that the latest version of Credential Guard extends account protection to machine account passwords, which is a new feature in Windows 11."

Windows 10 launched in July 2015 and has reached end of life after Windows 11's October 2021 release. Consumers who register for extended support and back up PCs in the Microsoft cloud can receive free security updates until October 2026. Corporate PCs and devices joined to Active Directory will only receive updates if covered by an Extended Security Updates (ESU) subscription. The National Cyber Security Centre warned that out-of-date operating systems are prime targets for cyber criminals, citing post‑support Internet Explorer exploits and the 2017 WannaCry ransomware. Forrester highlights Windows 11 security improvements such as administrator protection, Smart App Control, and extended Credential Guard for machine account passwords.

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