Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system reached its official End of Support (EoS) on October 14, 2025. While your computer will continue to function, it will no longer receive free security patches or technical assistance, making it increasingly vulnerable to malware and other cybersecurity threats.
According to the latest data from StatCounter, Windows 10 is still installed on 20.6 percent of desktops in Australia. For comparison, Windows 11 accounts for 76.61% of Australian Windows installs. The next most popular version, Windows 7, has less than three percent market share.
A CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is a list of cybersecurity vulnerabilities found in software and hardware. So far this year, Microsoft has disclosed 243 CVEs for Windows 10, with an average score of 7.15/10 (high severity). None of these vulnerabilities will receive security patches to protect users, as Windows 10 is now unsupported. Knowing these exist, cybercriminals target malware to exploit these vulnerabilities and find those unprotected users.
Additionally, the rest of the software industry is following Microsoft's lead and moving on. Web browsers, password managers, and software developers (like Adobe or Google) are gradually stopping their updates for Windows 10 versions of their apps, exacerbating the level of out-dated, unsupported software that is vulnerable to exploitation.
So, if you are not running the current, fully-patched version of the Microsoft operating system you can now see why you are a sitting duck for a hacker. The longer you leave your operating system unpatched or out of date, the easier it will be for a hacker to access your personal details or corporate network.
To comply with your Cyber Security Insurance policy (you do have Cyber Insurance, right?), your business needs a consistent process for applying software, operating system, and firmware updates as soon as patches are released to reduce security vulnerabilities. If you fail to meet this requirement, your insurer may reject any claim you make.
As a business, you only really have three choices to make if you have machines running Windows 10:
How can IT Basecamp help?
Because every business has different hardware requirements, the best first step is to contact your support team. They can help you identify the solution that best fits your needs.
IT Basecamp can provide a no-obligation quote for upgrading your equipment, helping you understand the cost and choose the best path forward for your business.