Microsoft's security support for Windows 10 will officially end on October 14.
That means millions of computers could be vulnerable to cyber-attacks if users don't upgrade to Windows 11 or take alternative security measures.
Ken Colburn from Data Doctors says the timing is critical for computer users who want to stay protected.
"It's hard to believe that Windows 10 is actually 10 years old and the internet was a very different place 10 years ago, and in that 10 years, some pretty significant security threats have emerged," Colburn said.
As a cybersecurity expert, Ken sees these threats firsthand, especially how they have evolved over time.
"The bad guys can actually attack your physical hardware through malicious code, so in order for Microsoft to protect Windows users, they incorporated this new level of hardware requirement for Windows 11," Colburn explained.
Free upgrade available for qualifying computers
For users whose computers meet the requirements, upgrading to Windows 11 is straightforward and won’t cost you anything.
"If your hardware qualifies, you can upgrade for free," Colburn said.
Microsoft has created a simple way for users to check if their computer qualifies through the "PC Health Check" app, which runs a compatibility test.
You can find that app here.
Options for older computers
For computers that don't qualify for the Windows 11 upgrade, users have a few options. Microsoft will offer security updates for Windows 10 for a limited time after the October deadline, but it will cost you.
"Microsoft will allow you to pay for security updates for Windows 10 for a period of time. So, that's kind of a stopgap. It's not a long-term solution. It's just a situation where, if you for some reason, have to use Windows 10 after October, you can pay for that. Normally, these updates are free," Colburn added.
There’s also a free option, but you have to enable cloud backup and connect it to your OneDrive account. You can learn more about that here.
However, Colburn recommends getting a new computer for the best long-term security.
"If it's a four, five, or six-year-old computer, it's not gonna qualify. It doesn't have what it needs to keep you safe in today's internet," he said. "The good news is... if you do have to get a new machine. You don't have to go top of the line. You can go with some real basic equipment if most of what you do is online."
Don't wait until the deadline
No matter what you decide to do, just make sure you do it now and don’t let that October deadline pass.
"The worst case scenario is that you wait, you're no longer getting security updates and then you become a huge target because the bad guys are just licking their chops waiting for this deadline to occur so that they can try to take advantage of the people that either weren't aware or just never got around to it," Colburn said.
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