Windows 10

So you have a Windows 10 computer — or a fleet of them. But which exact version of Windows 10? If you are on Windows 10, version 21H2, its end of servicing is coming up on June 13, 2023. For Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 10 Pro Education, and Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, version 21H2 will stop being offered updates — including security updates — after June. (For Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Education customers, support for 21H2 lasts another year.)

Why should you upgrade to a new feature release if your existing machines are working just fine? As Windows 10 comes into its final years of support (through to 2025), it’s key to keep machines on supported versions so you can receive security updates. Take the time to review the machines under your control and ensure that they are ready for the end of 21H2 support.

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Ransomware.

It’s one word that can strike a chill in anyone from a corporate C-suite to a home user. It’s sometimes hard to get a feel for the overall ransomware industry (and yes, it’s now an industry). But based on anecdotal reviews of forums and social media, it appears as though attacks against individuals are slowing. I no longer see people report they’ve been hit by ransomware on their PCs.

But it may be that attackers have realized that going after “one-off” targets isn’t the best business plan. In fact, in a recent Microsoft Secure online seminar (registration required), Jessica Payne and Geoff McDonald discuss how ransomware is now a big business, offered as a service by those who sell access to compromised networks to others.

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