Use a PC with an operating system Windows 7 is no longer secure: from 14 January 2020, in fact, Microsoft's official support for this operating system ended and, consequently, the Redmond house no longer releases any patches for any bugs that could jeopardize the integrity of our data and ours privacy.
The best solution is without a doubt update the operating system, also because it is still possible to upgrade to Windows 10 for free. There would also be the possibility of obtaining a license of Windows 8.1, which is officially supported by Microsoft until January 2023, but it would not make much sense: Windows 10 it's a better operating system in all respects. If you really do not want to abandon Windows 7, then, it is good to be aware of the risks involved and, above all, to put into practice at least the minimum security recommendations for those who still use this operating system. But, be careful: even putting them into practice, continue to use Windows 7 however, it will be more risky to use a more up-to-date operating system and with Microsoft support still active.
Protecting Window 7: tips to put into practice immediately
While Windows 7 will no longer receive any critical security updates, most antivirus manufacturers have guaranteed updates to their products until at least 2022. For protect a PC with Windows 7, therefore, it is essential to at least use one of these antiviruses and keep it updated as long as possible. It is also possible, and recommended, to start selecting the most secure applications and create a "whitelist" of apps authorized to access the Internet. In this way we will block access attempts by unsafe apps (including viruses). we have to go to Settings> Updates and security> Windows security> Firewall and network protection, activate Windows Defender Firewall and then click on "Allow apps via firewall" and add all the secure apps one by one.
Protecting Window 7: the behaviors that make us safer
In addition to the precautions described above, we must take note that our operating system is still less secure than before and, consequently, some behaviors should be avoided. This means paying even more attention to possible phishing emails, for example. Then, two-factor authentication becomes practically an obligation. The use of a VPN is also highly recommended, i.e. a virtual private network that interposes a layer of security between us and possible attacks from the Internet. Finally, we must be even more strict in the selection of Password, which will need to be changed even more frequently. From this point of view, fortunately, a good password manager can help us.
Windows 7, how to keep protecting your PC
