Microsoft urges caution: Windows 10 security at risk

Microsoft advises against upgrading from Windows 10 to the newer version. This issue arises at a particularly sensitive juncture, coinciding with the final Patch Tuesday update of 2024, which includes patches for 71 security vulnerabilities, one of which is a zero-day vulnerability.

A week ago, Microsoft appeared to close the possibility of switching to Windows 11 on computers that do not meet the TPM 2.0 requirement. However, reports suggesting a change in this policy appeared almost immediately. In an updated support document, the company seemed to open the door to installing the system on incompatible machines.

As Forbes points out, Microsoft quickly corrected this information, emphasising that the minimum system requirements for Windows 11 remain unchanged. In the communication, the company recommends that users who have installed Windows 11 on incompatible devices immediately revert to Windows 10.

The issue is serious because support for Windows 10 ends in October 2025. Users attempting to bypass Windows 11 hardware requirements risk losing access to critical security updates. Microsoft warns that devices not meeting the system requirements "are not guaranteed to receive updates, including security updates."

It is particularly worrying that the number of Windows 10 users seems to be increasing rather than decreasing. Experts fear that millions of users may not know what to do in this situation and might choose a risky upgrade path, exposing themselves to security issues.

"If you proceed with installing Windows 11, your PC will no longer be supported and won't be entitled to receive updates. Damages to your PC due to lack of compatibility aren't covered under the manufacturer warranty," warns Microsoft.