Windows 7 is dead – so how come virus scanners still work on it?

Windows 7 came onto the market over 10 years ago on Oct 22, 2009. — dpa

Windows 7, may it rest in peace, has ceased to offer users security and feature updates, as the beloved operating system reaches the end of its all-too-short lifespan.

And yet, even as Microsoft ushers its users towards Windows 10, most antivirus programs continue to run with full functionality on Windows 7.

That's because the biggest antivirus providers have not yet announced they will end support for Windows 7, according to research from the security analysts at AV Test Institute.

Several antivirus companies even plan on providing updates for their security software for at least two more years. Avira is the only company to have confirmed an end to its support, set to come in November 2022.

The research institute has an up-to-date list of antivirus programs still supporting Windows 7 on its website.

So... Windows 7 is still safe?

Despite the ongoing antivirus support, experts still recommend switching to Windows 10 instead of sticking with Windows 7.

While the operating system will remain fully functional, no more updates means you could be working on a computer with major security holes that won't ever be fixed by Microsoft.

Considering that the number of vulnerabilities on Windows 7 that could be potential entry points for Trojans or viruses is steadily increasing, you need to have a plan to upgrade to Windows 10.

You can make the change in three ways, all of which should be free, if you have a valid Windows 7 license: Upgrade the Windows 7 installation to Windows 10, replace it with a brand new Windows 10 installation or install the new operating system parallel to the old one.

The advantage of a parallel installation is that all your programs, settings and data will remain untouched. The entire Windows 7 installation is preserved and is only a restart away.

Windows 7 came onto the market over 10 years ago on Oct 22, 2009 as the successor to less popular Windows Vista.

The successor, Windows 8, was also unliked and did not convince many users. As a result, many companies in particular remained loyal to Windows 7 for years.

However the system's weaknesses, which will not be patched for free in the future, could now facilitate cyberattacks, analysts warn. Malware developers have already targeted malicious code for known Windows vulnerabilities. – dpa