{"id":1936,"date":"2023-04-13T13:48:50","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T12:48:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greatit.co.uk\/?p=1936"},"modified":"2023-07-12T21:51:08","modified_gmt":"2023-07-12T20:51:08","slug":"windows-8-1-is-dead-what-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greatit.co.uk\/windows-8-1-is-dead-what-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Windows 8.1 is dead. What now?\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"
The latest operating system to lose all support is Windows 8.1.<\/p>\n
The OS was released in 2013 and was officially retired on January 10, 2023<\/a>.<\/p>\n Microsoft issued the following warning for companies:<\/p>\n \u201cContinuing to use Windows 8.1 after January 10, 2023, may increase an organization\u2019s exposure to security risks or impact its ability to meet compliance obligations.\u201dHere are a few facts you should know:<\/p>\n Get Help with Your Windows Upgrades<\/strong> Give us a call today to schedule a chat about upgrades and where your security stands.<\/p>\n As a business owner in Bolton and Manchester, you need to be aware that Microsoft is no longer supporting older operating systems. Without up-to-date security patches, your computers are vulnerable to cyberattacks. To protect your business, you need to make sure you\u2019re running the most recent version of your operating system and regularly update your software. It maybe that you have some bespoke software that only runs on the old operating system. Well, it\u2019s time to do something about it because this could cost you dearly. Investing in security tools can also help to protect your systems from potential cyberattacks. Don’t wait – act now to ensure your business is protected against cyber threats.<\/p>\n The latest operating system to lose all support is Windows 8.1. Microsoft released the OS in 2013, and it was officially retired on January 10, 2023<\/a>. Microsoft issued the following warning for companies:<\/p>\n \u201cContinuing to use Windows 8.1 after January 10, 2023, may increase an organisation\u2019s exposure to security risks or impact its ability to meet compliance obligations.\u201d<\/p>\n Here are a few facts you should know about what this retirement of Windows 8.1 means.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n When an operating system reaches its end of life, it won\u2019t just stop working. Thus, many companies go on using it without realizing it\u2019s a security risk. Technically, the operating system will still work, but it won’t be as secure as it was the day before retirement.<\/p>\n Software and OS vulnerabilities are sought out and exploited all the time. This is what hackers do for a living. Hackers often find weak points in software, which they can take advantage of to gain access to a computer system. They write code to exploit these weaknesses, which can give them control of the system.<\/p>\n When hackers start breaking into computer systems, the software developers find out. They write code to patch up any weak points in the software, and then send this to users in the form of an update. Installing the update will help to protect your device from any hacker attacks.<\/p>\n Once an operating system reaches its end of life, the software developer stops making updates. They focus their attention on newer products, leaving any weak points in the software vulnerable to attack. This means that your device can be hacked into even after the OS has reached its end of life, and the vulnerability could remain for days, months, or even years.<\/p>\n\n
What Happens If I Don\u2019t Upgrade?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The OS Will Still Technically Work<\/h3>\n
Your System Will No Longer Receive Security Patches<\/h3>\n