The end of Windows 7 is very close, coming on January 14, 2020. This also marks the end of security updates that Microsoft. Users and system administrators are urged to upgrade their devices within the next 3 months.
With the end of Windows 7, organizations and individuals who still prefer it will be at extreme risk, as they will be a potential target for hackers and cybercriminals.
Surprisingly, Windows 7 is still quite popular. Of course, the company has made several statements and warnings to its users, asking them to immediately upgrade to more recent versions. In recent months, there has been a significant increase in the use of Windows 10.
According to statistics that have been made public, 28% of computers were still running this version of Windows as of last September. This is a fairly significant percentage, especially when you consider that there Windows . So, hundreds of millions of devices are directly at risk.
In essence, mainstream support for Windows 7 ended in 2015. After that, the company provided critical security updates , but without the new features that usually come with updates. Microsoft still provides support for them after January 14, but the cost will be $25 per device per year.
Microsoft has not yet declared the end of Windows Embedded 7, the version of the operating system that runs embedded systems like POS, ATMs, and gas pumps. Of course, because they have been running on the same hardware and software, upgrading is necessary.
Microsoft has announced that support for Windows Embedded Standard 7 Service Pack 1will end in October. It will continue to provide support for other Embedded versions until 2021 and beyond.
In general, older OSes hold up well in user preference. However, risks remain and may affect entire systems.
