Firms issued warning on outdated Windows systems

Using outdated versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS) in a corporate setting creates significant risks for businesses as they are more vulnerable to exploits and may become incompatible with newer software and security tools, say Kaspersky experts.

- SUCHIT LEESA-NGUANSUK

More than half of general users globally and nearly 60% of corporate users utilise the Windows 10 OS, while only 33% of all users have upgraded their devices to Windows 11, according to Kaspersky's statistics.

Kaspersky's research data indicates while there is only a month left before support from Microsoft ends, more than half of all users (53%) still utilise Windows 10.

Furthermore, 8.5% of devices continue to operate on the outdated Windows 7 OS version. Support for this version ended in 2020.

Among business users, 59.5% of corporate devices use Windows 10, whereas in small businesses this figure is lower at 51%. The share of Windows 7 users in both categories is slightly above 6%.

Kaspersky experts warn outdated OS versions in corporate settings are more vulnerable to exploits and may become incompatible with newer software and security tools. This incompatibility can pose a severe threat for business continuity.