THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL 72 | AUGUST 2025 A NOTE ABOUT EXTENDED SECURITY UPDATES Microsoft will offer paid extended security updates (ESUs) for Windows 10 users who can’t complete their transition by the deadline. These are designed as a stopgap and are not a permanent solution, and they cost extra.9 ESUs may buy your firm one more year of security patches, but they are not a license to delay indefinitely. ESUs provide organizations with critical security updates for Windows 10 after official support has ended, helping to protect against newly discovered vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals. However, ESUs do not include new features, nonsecurity updates or technical support from Microsoft. They serve as temporary safeguards for systems that must continue running Windows 10 a little longer, giving businesses added time to complete their migration to Windows 11 while minimizing security risks during the transition period. DON’T WAIT UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE The move away from Windows 10 is not optional. After Oct. 14, unsupported systems in your firm will become a liability, technically, ethically and possibly legally. Take this opportunity to modernize your infrastructure, avoid last-minute disruptions and protect your clients’ confidential data. Ms. Bays is the OBA practice management advisor, aiding attorneys in using technology and other tools to efficiently manage their offices. ENDNOTES 1. Microsoft Support, “Windows 10 support ends on October 14, 2025,” http://bit.ly/3GMCDbz. 2. New York State Bar Association, “Why Lawyers Should Take Windows 7 End-of-Support Seriously,” (2019), https://bit.ly/46GJyO5. 3. Cloudflare, “What was the WannaCry ransomware attack?” https://bit.ly/4nMNFhN. 4. Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.1 cmt. 6, https://bit.ly/46FtA6M. 5. Oklahoma Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.6, https://bit.ly/44HCIVV. 6. Microsoft Support, “Minimum system requirements for Windows 11,” https://bit.ly/4lscheb. 7. Lawyer Monthly, “Microsoft’s Emergency Alert: 240M Windows Users Should Stop Using Their PCs,” (April 2025), https://bit.ly/469QoeW. 8. Microsoft Support, “Find Windows 11 specs, features, and computer requirements,” https://bit.ly/4lQRSz7. 9. Microsoft Learn, “Extended Security Updates for Windows 10,” https://bit.ly/4lL5bBP.
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