Hypnotic sunset: Why businesses should be wary of end-of-life products

As the sun sets on Windows 10 OS this coming October 14, 2025, businesses must heed the call to upgrade, lest they find themselves adrift in a sea of security vulnerabilities, costs and compliance woes.

On October 14, 2025, Windows 10 will reach its end-of-life (EOL) period. This has multiple implications for people unable or unwilling to update to a newer OS release, especially from a security perspective, where system stability and security are paramount.

But why do software/OS developers abandon their products? Shouldn’t they consider the difficulties their users might face by leaving them behind? Who’s the responsible party here? The answer is simple — it takes two to tango.

What does end of life mean?

EOL means both an end and a new beginning; it is an end to a company’s support in keeping an app or an OS updated, sold or serviced, signifying an abandonment of update provision and maintenance. Companies that will want to keep using their purchased software have to ask and pay for costly extended support, or upgrade, which should be the better long-term option for the vast majority of businesses.

Usually highlighted in advance, EOL dates can cause pain for businesses — there is the hassle of updating hundreds of devices, which can bog down an entire internal IT team. Meanwhile, other issues could crop up, like hardware incompatibility in the case of certain OSs, for example, in which case the purchase of new hardware is required as well, weighing on the yearly IT budget.

However, this forced change can also revitalize, or at least boost businesses to a higher level, mostly due to the changes helping the company maintain relevance and parity concerning its tech usage and potential to interface with partners, peers and the wider supply chain. Plus, with an always up-to-date system, apps are less likely to break or start displaying anomalous behavior.

An ESET perspective At ESET, our solutions are always continuously updated. However, even our tools can be stretched thin when an OS is no longer officially supported. On an outdated OS, anomalous behavior might begin to creep in, potentially eroding the stability of anti-malware solutions (or the system in general), and making it easier for malicious actors to abuse those anomalies.

Why does end of life happen?

There are many reasons why a software service provider decides to end official support. Perhaps the most common of all is a redistribution or reallocation of resources, as it takes money and many man-hours to keep a product updated, which could be reinvested elsewhere, like by creating a more efficient, fresher product.

Moreover, there is also something to be said about the capabilities of newer products, as they are designed according to the latest device specs. For example, a Windows XP-powered computer might not have the same number of options to tackle modern threats as a Windows 11-powered one would, becoming incredibly risky to use. Hardware also often goes together with software, which is why the Samsung Galaxy Nexus was simply unable to run newer versions of Android due to a lack of driver support from its chipmaker, as including outdated drivers can make way for exploits.

The bottom line is that as tech progresses, so do threats, and we need to maintain the progress of protection to continue, which sometimes requires the sacrifice of an old product. Microsoft has decided to create stricter requirements for computers to be able to run Windows 11, as it has added several new security features that are not supported by old hardware still running version 10. While those machines can still install Windows 11 with a workaround, update support and system stability are not guaranteed. After all, for a business, a crash-free and stable experience promotes successful business continuity.

ESET is also aware of this need for continuity, which is why it offers ESET Extended Support as a service for older ESET Endpoint Antivirus and ESET Endpoint Security for Windows products. See the list of eligible legacy versions.

ESET and end of life

In response to evolving threats, ESET products need to stay updated, as outdated ones do not guarantee cutting-edge protection. Since the compatibility of earlier products with later operating systems cannot be ensured, ESET recommends transitioning to the latest versions.

It is very unlikely that a software provider can maintain multiple versions of their products for multiple OSs. There are far too many obsolete versions that exist; hence, it is impossible to provide support, accurate documentation and compatibility in perpetuity. However, in some cases, extended support is offered, but it can be very limited, and a business should be wary of whether it fulfills their cyber insurance or regulatory requirements.

A word on ESET support Upcoming versions of ESET Windows endpoint products for business and consumer will no longer support 32-bit Windows 10 systems (from v13.0 for business and v19 for consumer). The final 32-bit compatible products (v12.1 for business and v18 for consumer) will be supported up until their EOL on approximately September 30, 2028, with potential ESET Extended Support up until September 30, 2030.

Finally, upgrading does not need to be a hassle. Staying informed about the initiation of end-of-life phases is the first step, with the second being the creation of an upgrade strategy, to stay ahead of the final deadline. Keep in mind, with Windows 10’s final seconds ticking away, businesses and regular users still using the soon-outdated OS need to make a few important choices, most of which can very well determine the future of their digital lives and business continuity.