Windows 7 Has Reached It’s End-of-Support
The official end of support date for Windows 7 was January 14, 2020. The day after, on the 15th, Microsoft stopped offering any sort of support for the operating system – meaning they’re not releasing security patches, bug fixes or offering any sort of assistance if problems arise. If you’re still running the operating system, you’ve likely noticed alerts telling you it’s out of support by now. Unfortunately, all technology comes with a lifecycle. Even the greatest operating systems expire at some point or another. So what REALLY happens if you continue running it now?
Windows 7 Will Essentially Become a Playground for Hackers to Exploit Vulnerabilities and Steal Sensitive Data…
Unfortunately, Windows 7 is no longer secure to run. Why? Microsoft is not supporting it – meaning there’s nothing keeping you safe from hackers exploiting known vulnerabilities in the operating system. Eventually, even third-party software companies that provide anti-virus and anti-malware technologies will stop supporting the operating system. As we speak, hackers are likely reverse engineering older security updates to identify other vulnerabilities existing in the now unsupported operating system.
If you click on a malicious attachment, visit a dangerous website or reply to a phishing email, you’re basically guaranteed to end up in a bad situation. There is NOTHING protecting you and your sensitive data now. This alone is enough reason to upgrade, however, here’s a few more reasons to keep in mind:
- No more access to the latest features as there will be no resources put towards improving the operating system for users.
- Lack of compatibility with important software as most current, up-to-date applications don’t work well with unsupported operating systems.
- Inability to prove due diligence in the event of non-compliance because most regulations, including HIPAA, PCI, etc. require you to use updated equipment.
- Lagging and/or slow performance resulting from a lack of security updates and bug fixes that leave your computers running slowly.
Over time, running an unsupported operating system is bound to become incredibly frustrating as all of the issues add up. If you’re operating in an industry that’s highly regulated, each and every computer running Windows 7 will be an instant violation. You simply can’t afford to put off upgrading to another system. Here’s our recommendations going forward:
- Contact us or your technology partner immediately to take inventory of each PC within the office, as well as their operating systems.
- Create a roadmap outlining your upgrade path and budget for the entire process so you’re prepared financially.
- Start the migration process toward Windows 10 throughout the workplace and re-install any necessary settings and software.
If You’re Still Running Windows 7, You’re Already Late… And If You Need to Purchase New Computers Because Your Existing Computers Don’t Support an Upgrade, It’s Time to Get Started.
Windows 10 is the ideal choice for upgrading, but not every computer will support a migration to this newer operating system. If you haven’t upgraded already, let’s talk about it. It’s already late in the game considering the end-of-support date has come and gone, but if we move fast, we can make sure you’re safe.
Need an Albany IT Services Company to Help You Upgrade from Windows 7? Let’s Talk. Call (518) 459-6712.
PNJ Technology Partners Inc. was founded in 1984 – meaning we have over 30 YEARS of experience. We’ve seen a lot of systems come and go in terms of support, and we’ve helped many businesses stay current with technology over the years. Our team is all about proactivity so all of our clients have already been upgraded for their protection. Go ahead and join them in having the utmost peace of mind.
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