- Microsoft clarified that Defender Antivirus will continue to receive updates in Windows 10 even though support for the operating system has already ended.
- The antivirus will receive updates and new virus definitions until October 2028
- That will help keep these PCs more secure, but that’s not the whole story
Microsoft has made it clear that its Defender Antivirus will continue to provide malware protection on Windows 10 PCs, which have just reached end of life in terms of support.
Neowin picked up on a blog post where Microsoft stated that: “Microsoft Defender will continue to provide detection and protection capabilities to the extent possible on Windows 10 and other legacy systems.”
The company adds that: “For Windows 10 customers without Defender, Microsoft will continue to provide security intelligence updates for Microsoft Defender’s built-in antivirus protection until October 2028.”
It’s the last thing we’re interested in as consumers continue to run Windows 10 – this is the built-in antivirus that comes by default with the operating system and, as noted, will continue to work with the updates and virus definitions provided until October 2028. ‘Microsoft Defender’ refers to the broad set of security features as a whole, including antivirus and more.
So if you have security updates for Defender Antivirus through 2028, are you sure to stick with Windows 10, even without monthly cumulative updates for the operating system?
There’s the short answer to that, as Microsoft points out: “Defending Antivirus alone is not a comprehensive risk mitigation posture,” and you need to sign up for Windows 10’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) program, as well as keep Defender Antivirus running.
Analysis: what is safe enough?
This is something I already talked about in a recent article about whether it is safe to use Windows 10 after the support deadline. While it’s true that you may be fine if you go this route, are very, very careful about what you do online and have a good antivirus to back you up (Defender is pretty decent), the reality of this situation is that most of us are simply not cautious or careful enough, even if think are.
And even the most cautious could be hit by malware if they’re unlucky, and without monthly Windows 10 security updates, as time goes on, the risks increase because there will be an increasing number of unpatched holes in the older operating system. It’s just a simple matter of probabilities, and given that extended support (for an additional year) is free to consumers (barring one minor inconvenience, although that caveat isn’t present in Europe), you’d be foolish not to take up that offer from Microsoft, frankly.
Don’t rely on Microsoft Defender or any other antivirus instead of Windows 10 updates, as Microsoft advises, even if your own security app will continue to receive regular updates until 2028.
