A leading security firm, ESET Germany, has warned that approximately 32 million PCs in Germany (around 65%) are vulnerable to cyber threats due to the impending end of support for Windows 10. The company’s IT expert, Thorsten Urbanski, advises users to switch to Windows 11 immediately or choose an alternative operating system if their device cannot be updated.
Urbanski states that the situation is more perilous than when Windows 7’s support ended in 2020, as only 20% of users remained on the outdated OS. In contrast, over 70% were already using Windows 10. Cybercriminals are aware of these numbers and will exploit this gap when support for Windows 10 ends.
Microsoft is urging users not to install Windows 10 from official sources, highlighting its benefits on Windows 11, which includes improved gaming features. ESET notes that Microsoft’s paid extended support for Windows 10 via the ESU program comes with a high pricing policy, increasing by double each year of use.
To mitigate risks, ESET recommends using the latest version of Windows and planning a switch to Windows 11. For users on older unsupported hardware, a Linux distribution can be an alternative option. Microsoft advises purchasing a new PC for updating to Windows 11, as the system requirements have not been relaxed.
Source: https://www.neowin.net/news/eset-recommends-installing-linux-if-your-unsupported-windows-11-pc-cant-update-from-10