Time to Upgrade: The End of Windows 10 Support Looms

Microsoft is finally pulling the plug on Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. This deadline is approaching quickly, giving you a limited time to address the issue at hand.

It affects everyone. It’s your responsibility, my responsibility, and it will impact all of us. When your legacy endpoints begin flooding our dashboards like a Christmas tree in Q4, we will feel the consequences.

If you're still operating Windows 10 as if it’s 2019, thinking you can “just wait and see,” let’s cut to the chase: this will end poorly. You’re setting yourself up for a breach and a series of awkward meetings.

What Happens When Windows 10 Goes Off Life Support?

So, what can you expect when the support for Windows 10 ends? Here are the significant downsides:

• No more security patches: Every new vulnerability will remain exposed. Uninvited guests will start taking advantage of these weaknesses.

• No more bug fixes: Get used to mysterious error messages and software that seems to have a mind of its own.

• Loss of compliance: Auditors will not care about your transition plan. They will focus on the fact that you are still using unsupported software.

• Incompatibility: Your latest applications may stop functioning with your outdated operating system.

• Increased legal exposure: When a breach occurs (which is inevitable), you will be questioned about your decision to use an OS that even Microsoft has abandoned.

  
  

Fun times ahead. You might be thinking, “But it’s probably fine, right?”

Let’s take a look at the past. When Windows 7 reached its end-of-life, it saw over 200 critical vulnerabilities in its first year without support. Windows 10? It has already accumulated over 1,000 known issues, even while receiving patches. Once support ends, it transforms into a vulnerability magnet, and no one will be held accountable for addressing these issues.

If your risk management strategy includes “maybe no one will notice,” I admire your optimism, but I seriously question your judgment.

What Should You Be Doing Right Now?

Instead of waiting and risking it all, here are critical steps you should take now:

• Upgrade to Windows 11: Don’t wait for the perfect moment; there is no such thing. The only crucial time is the distinction between before the breach and after.

• Lock down your endpoints: If you do not have an Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solution deployed, stop reading! Prioritize this fix immediately.

  
  

• Audit your environment: Search for all those dusty Windows 10 machines hiding in closets and under desks. They will soon become a significant problem.

  
  

Understanding the Risks

Ignoring the end-of-life notice doesn’t mean that Windows 10 will suddenly fail on October 14. It becomes increasingly dangerous with each passing day after that date. Every day you hesitate adds more risk, piling it on top of existing threats. You are effectively placing your trust in luck rather than maintaining proper security hygiene.

It's essential to be proactive. Don’t let your endpoint upgrade plan exist merely in a spreadsheet. Act now before you have to explain to your executives why you let this slip through the cracks.

Final Thoughts

Time is of the essence. By putting off the transition to Windows 11, you are only inviting disaster into your organization. Read more about the upgrade options available Prepare for the inevitable change and stay ahead of potential issues that could cost you much more in the long run.

I’ll be monitoring alerts in the Security Operations Center (SOC), musing over instance warnings I mentioned three quarters ago. Don't find yourself in the same position. Make the upgrade a priority.