Small businesses are not immune to cybersecurity threats, and they face the same problem as large companies – outdated operating systems. Some businesses may have computers running on old operating systems that staff members only use occasionally. Others may rely on customized software that only works with older OS versions. But running an outdated OS means exposing your business to cyberattacks, as developers stop supporting old operating systems once they retire them. The latest OS to lose support is Windows 8.1, which Microsoft released in 2013 and officially retired on January 10, 2023.
So, what happens when an operating system reaches its end of life? Here are a few facts small businesses need to know: