ESET sends out warning ahead of ‘security fiasco’

Cybersecurity firm ESET urges Windows 10 users to upgrade their operating system to Windows 11 as soon as possible in order to avoid a ‘security fiasco.’

Windows 10 is Microsoft’s operating system, which was launched almost ten years ago.

Not too long from now, on October 14th, 2025, to be exact, the Redmond-based tech company won’t release any new free security updates or bug fixes for the operating system. That’s why cybersecurity firm ESET recommends users upgrade to Windows 11 as soon as possible.

“It is five to twelve to avoid a security fiasco for 2025. We strongly advise all users not to wait until October but to immediately switch to Windows 11 or to choose an alternative operating system if their device cannot be updated to the latest Windows operating system. Otherwise, users expose themselves to considerable security risks and are susceptible to dangerous cyberattacks and data loss,” Thorsten Urbanski, a cybersecurity expert at ESET, explains in a blog post.

According to Urbanski, companies that are currently working with Windows 10 should make plans to switch early. Businesses and organizations can opt for extended support, but that’s a costly matter. And simply letting devices continue to run on Windows 10 is ‘grossly negligent’.

“These outdated systems, in particular, are more susceptible to cyberattacks. At worst, these computers are the starting point for data loss, espionage, and ransomware attacks. In the event of damage, insurance companies can even refuse to regulate because the state of the art has not been complied with,” the IT security specialist adds.

According to Statcounter, 62.7% of all Windows computers worldwide run Windows 10. Only one in three computers (34.1%) are equipped with the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system.

In order to not become a target for hackers and cybercriminals, companies should react by upgrading to Windows 11, or an alternative operating system that’s up-to-date.

Urbanski assesses that the current situation is more dangerous than when Windows 7 ended.

“Even before the official date, only around 20% of users relied on Windows 7 at the end of 2019. The new Windows 10 was already in use by over 70%. The current situation is dangerous to the fire. Cybercriminals know these numbers very well and are just waiting for the day of the end of support,” he warns.

Many Windows 10 users have been hesitant to upgrade to Windows 11 due to performance issues and the Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM) hardware requirement, preventing some older computers and laptops from upgrading.

In December 2024, Microsoft stated that the Windows 11 TPM 2.0 requirement is ‘non-negotiable’ because it provides hardware-based security features and serves as a hardware component for storing sensitive information.

“By instituting TPM 2.0 as a non-negotiable standard for the future of Windows, we elevate the security benchmark. It allows you and us to better align with the growing need for formidable data protection in the modern digital sphere,” Senior Product Manager at Microsoft Steven Hosking explained.