It’s official: Windows 10 is no longer supported. And while the date—October 14, 2025—was marked on calendars months in advance, many Ipswich businesses are only now feeling the heat.
Across the region, small firms are waking up to the reality that their trusted operating system won’t be getting any more security updates. No patches. No bug fixes. No lifelines. For systems still running Windows 10, the risks are no longer theoretical—they’re immediate.
“It Still Works” Isn’t Good Enough
One local IT manager described the mood as “quiet panic.” Machines still boot. Apps still open. But beneath the surface, the vulnerabilities are stacking up.
“I had a client whose desktop stopped syncing with OneDrive last week,” he said. “No error message. Just… nothing. We only caught it because a file didn’t show up during a meeting.”
That kind of silent failure is exactly what cybersecurity experts warn about. Without updates, even basic functions can start to drift—and attackers know it.
ESU: The Safety Net Most Haven’t Heard Of
Microsoft is offering Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10, but uptake has been slow. At £24 per device for the first year, ESU buys time—up to three years of critical patches for systems that can’t upgrade right away.
The problem? Many businesses don’t know it exists. Others assume it’s too technical to implement. But for firms running legacy software or older hardware, ESU might be the only viable option.
“I’ve had to walk clients through it step by step,” said one consultant. “It’s not hard, but it’s buried in documentation most people never read.”
Real-World Fallout
Several Ipswich firms have already run into trouble:
- A logistics company reported browser errors on banking sites—Edge refused to load secure pages.
- A legal firm was flagged during a GDPR audit for using unsupported systems.
- An accounting team lost access to shared files due to silent sync failures.
None of these issues made headlines. But they disrupted workflows, triggered compliance concerns, and forced rushed upgrades.
What Businesses Should Do Now
If you’re still running Windows 10, here’s what local IT pros recommend:
- Audit Your Devices
Know what’s running where. Inventory everything. - Test Before You Upgrade
Don’t assume your apps will break on Windows 11. Most legacy tools run fine—but test first. - Use ESU If You Must
If you can’t upgrade, enroll in ESU. It’s not a long-term fix, but it’s better than nothing. - Educate Your Team
Make sure staff know what’s changing. Silent failures are harder to catch if no one’s watching.
Final Word
Windows 10 served well for a decade. But now, it’s time to move on. The longer businesses wait, the more exposed they become—not just to cyber threats, but to operational breakdowns and compliance risks.
If your OS isn’t supported, your business isn’t secure. And in today’s threat landscape, that’s a gamble few can afford.
