Windows 10 Users Face Critical Security Risks in 2025

Microsoft has warned users of Windows 10 about an impending “security fiasco” as the operating system approaches its end-of-life in October 2025.

With around 800 million users at risk, Microsoft highlighted that 65% of German households still rely on Windows 10, illustrating the widespread impact of this upcoming shift.

In light of this, security firm ESET has issued a fresh warning to Windows 10 users, urging them to upgrade to Windows 11 to avoid dangerous cyber attacks and data loss.

“We strongly advise all users not to wait until October, but to switch to Windows 11 immediately or choose an alternative operating system if their device cannot be updated to the latest Windows operating system,” said ESET’s Thorsten Urbanski in a blog post.

Individuals whose devices are too old to run Windows 11 have been advised to switch to lightweight Linux distribution – which are free and can extend the life of older devices.

In response to the looming deadline, Microsoft has granted home users a one-year extension for $30, while businesses can extend support at a higher cost.

However, there is much resistance to upgrade, with Windows 10 holding a 63% market share against Windows 11’s 34%. This delay in migration could put millions of machines at risk for cyber attacks after security updates are no longer released.

An estimated 400 million devices are not capable of running Windows 11’s hardware and thus are most susceptible to attack. That is even greater in relation to the 2020 Windows 7 end of life, with fewer devices at risk.

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It is warned by ESET that the continuation of using Windows 10 past October 2025 will mean abandoning valuable security patches, leaving systems exposed to unpatched vulnerabilities.

Some users who initially tried Windows 11 have reverted to Windows 10, and many new devices still come pre-installed with the older operating system.

Microsoft has not yet commented on whether it will relax Windows 11’s hardware requirements or extend support for Windows 10.

Experts stress that upgrading to the latest version of Windows is crucial for security. “Old versions like Windows 7 or XP pose significant risks and should be replaced immediately,” warned ESET. The clock is ticking—those who delay upgrading will only become vulnerable.