Eighteen years and 4 major Windows versions later, we finally see the benefits of the Trustworthy Computing initiative: a secure-by-design operating client and server systems and applications for on-premise and cloud use. I believe Microsoft has made tremendous progress in the security of their operating system, a process that famously started after the security mishaps of Windows XP and cumulated with a memo sent by Bill Gates (then CEO) to all staff back in 2002. Security benefits of Windows 10Įven Steve Gibson, world-renowned and respected security expert and my favorite podcaster, who swore that he would never move off from Windows 7, is now relenting and moving to Windows 10. Of course, we still have to see whether the recent Crypto API spoofing vulnerability will test Microsoft’s resolve to keep Windows 7 unpatched for not-paying customers. Microsoft is facing criticism for ending support for all but enterprise customers paying for extended support, but it’s worth noting that Apple faces no criticism for constantly upgrading iOS and MacOS and for (rather quickly) ending support for legacy versions of those OSes. However, nothing lasts forever, and with Windows 7 end-of-support originally announced way back in 2015, the end ultimately arrived on January 14, 2020. Lessons learned from Windows XP, and especially Vista, allowed Microsoft to build a stable operating system that only required one Service Pack, despite being in use for over 10 years. Windows 7 has been Microsoft’s most successful operating system and, it’s safe to say, one of the most loved. Every company is different, and your circumstances are likely to vary. This is my opinion and should be taken as advice only. In this article, I will offer some advice to businesses of all sizes that may need to continue using Windows 7, while understanding the risk. “Doomsday is here! The sky is falling! Windows 7 is out of support and all hell will break loose!” – or, at least, that’s what some cybersecurity experts and press outlets want you to think.

Windows 7 pro upgrade