The clock has officially run out for Windows 10. As of mid-October 2025, Microsoft has ended free security updates for the operating system, marking the close of an era for millions of devices still running it worldwide. While organizations can purchase Extended Security Updates (ESUs) to buy a little more time, those updates are expensive and temporary. The real issue isn’t just the cost. It’s the countdown. Every unpatched vulnerability that surfaces from here on out will remain an open door for attackers.

For many businesses, upgrading to Windows 11 isn’t a simple switch. The scale of migration across thousands of machines, the need to test compatibility with proprietary applications, and the strict validation requirements in industries such as healthcare and finance all slow down the process. Others, such as manufacturers or utilities, rely on Windows 10 systems that are directly tied to industrial machinery, which cannot be easily replaced or modernized. In these environments, the OS may be out of support, but it’s still the beating heart of critical operations.

That reality creates a dangerous gap: the world’s most popular operating system is now a soft target. With updates stopped, attackers know exactly where to look. As new vulnerabilities are discovered without corresponding patches, each unprotected endpoint becomes a potential entry point into an organization’s network.

Why Upgrading Isn’t Always Possible

For many organizations, upgrading to Windows 11 is far easier said than done. In theory, it’s a straightforward next step: a new operating system, better security, and ongoing support. In practice, it’s a logistical and financial marathon. Hardware incompatibility is often the first roadblock; countless machines across enterprise networks simply don’t meet Windows 11’s stricter requirements. Even when they do, executing a rollout at scale takes months or even years of planning, testing, and user coordination.

In regulated sectors like healthcare and finance, the challenge is even greater. Every update must pass through rigorous validation processes to ensure compliance and operational stability. Hospitals, for example, can’t afford downtime on devices that connect to diagnostic equipment or manage patient data. Banks can’t risk an untested upgrade that could disrupt secure transactions. For these organizations, the upgrade path isn’t just slow, it’s deliberately cautious.

Then there are the systems that cannot be upgraded at all. Many industrial and manufacturing environments rely on proprietary control systems and specialized software designed specifically for Windows 10. These platforms are deeply intertwined with the OS and often tied to hardware that would need full replacement to move forward. Replacing them isn’t a patch. It’s a full rebuild.

Even with Microsoft’s ESUs, these organizations are buying time, not safety. ESUs cover known vulnerabilities, but they don’t protect against zero-day threats. These are the unknown exploits that surface before a patch ever exists. For companies stuck in transition, that means one thing: every day on Windows 10 without modern protection is another day of risk.

The Real Threat: Unpatched Systems as Malware Entry Points

Cybercriminals closely monitor end-of-support timelines because they are aware of the consequences: a massive pool of unpatched systems still running in production. Once attackers discover how to exploit an open door, they can move laterally through a network before security teams even realize what’s happening.

The greatest danger isn’t just from known flaws, though. It’s from the unknown. Zero-day vulnerabilities and file-borne malware thrive in environments where patching has stopped. Attackers exploit the everyday methods businesses use to share information, such as email attachments, vendor uploads, and browser downloads, to insert malicious code into trusted workflows. According to industry research, approximately 70% of successful breaches originate from previously unknown or zero-day attacks, which are often delivered through common file types, such as Word documents or PDFs.

And the risk doesn’t always come from obvious sources. In highly connected supply chains, partners, vendors, and customers often exchange files that move seamlessly through business systems. One compromised document, even from a trusted sender, can carry embedded macros or malicious scripts designed to exploit unpatched vulnerabilities the moment it’s opened. In an unprotected Windows 10 environment, that single file can become the match that ignites a much larger breach.

Why Traditional Defenses Fall Short

Traditional defenses were never built for a world without patches. Antivirus and EDR tools do an excellent job of catching known threats, but they rely on signature patterns that must first be identified and cataloged before protection can begin. Against undisclosed or zero-day vulnerabilities, those defenses are effectively blind. By the time a threat is detected, it may have already slipped through, hidden inside an innocent-looking file or embedded object.

Other tools, like sandboxing and quarantining, attempt to contain the risk by isolating suspicious files. But these methods are inherently reactive. They introduce delays, require manual review, and can disrupt day-to-day workflows when legitimate business files are mistakenly flagged as unsafe. In large organizations, this creates a frustrating cycle where productivity stalls while the security team sorts through false positives.

Even with layers of protection, human behavior remains a weak point. Employees still open invoices, vendor forms, and spreadsheets that arrive through trusted channels, often unaware that they’ve just unleashed malicious code. And once that code executes on an unpatched Windows 10 machine, containment becomes nearly impossible.

Securing the File Layer with Votiro CDR

The best way to protect an unpatched system is to prevent threats from ever reaching it. That’s exactly what Votiro was built to do. Rather than relying on signatures, patch cycles, or user awareness, Votiro takes a proactive stance, neutralizing weaponized content in real-time, long before it has the chance to execute on an endpoint. For organizations running Windows 10 systems that can’t be immediately upgraded, this approach provides a critical safety net.

At the heart of Votiro is time-tested, advanced file sanitization, otherwise known as Content Disarm and Reconstruction (CDR). CDR is a technology that removes both known and unknown malware from files. Instead of blocking or quarantining, it cleanses every file, email, upload, download, and shared document before they ever reach the network. Unlike old CDR solutions, Votiro takes the safe, verified components and rebuilds the file onto a clean template to provide a fully functional, authentic version of the original—minus the risk and with a 0% false positive rate.

Even better, the entire process occurs in real-time. Votiro’s instant sanitization technology works in milliseconds, meaning employees receive safe files without waiting, and business continues without friction. For organizations navigating the end of Windows 10 support, Votiro provides exactly what traditional defenses can’t: proactive protection that eliminates file-borne threats before they ever find a vulnerability to exploit.

Votiro: the Smart “Patch” Between Now and Windows 11

For organizations that find themselves stuck on Windows 10, Votiro delivers what can best be described as virtual patching at the file layer. It serves as a protective buffer that neutralizes malicious content before it can exploit unpatched vulnerabilities. Instead of relying on system updates that may never arrive, Votiro effectively seals off one of the most common entry points for attacks: files.

Industrial environments often connect Windows 10 machines directly to proprietary control systems that cannot be easily reconfigured. Healthcare organizations face similar challenges, balancing patient safety and regulatory compliance with slow, methodical validation processes for every new system update. Even large enterprises that are mid-upgrading must juggle mixed environments, where some devices run Windows 11 while others remain on legacy systems for months, or even years.

Votiro protects all these scenarios, regardless of the operating system or infrastructure maturity. By integrating seamlessly with existing workflows, email, browsers, cloud storage, and file servers, Votiro CDR delivers enterprise-grade protection without disrupting daily operations.

Schedule a demo below to see how Votiro’s modern file sanitization technology can protect your Windows 10 environments from file-borne threats even after the patches stop.