{"id":41157,"date":"2026-11-08T10:19:07","date_gmt":"2026-11-08T10:19:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wedodis.co.za\/news\/?p=41157"},"modified":"2026-11-08T10:19:07","modified_gmt":"2026-11-08T10:19:07","slug":"embracing-the-future-absa-and-standard-bank-bid-farewell-to-windows-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wedodis.co.za\/news\/embracing-the-future-absa-and-standard-bank-bid-farewell-to-windows-10\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing the Future: Absa and Standard Bank Bid Farewell to Windows 10"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Windows 10 officially ended its lifecycle in October 2025, yet several organizations, particularly banks in South Africa, have not yet transitioned to Microsoft’s latest operating system.<\/p>\n

Microsoft concluded support for Windows 10, which debuted in July 2015, on 14 October 2025, marking the termination of updates, including new features, bug fixes, and security enhancements.<\/p>\n

The tech giant has urged users with compatible devices to upgrade to Windows 11 in order to maintain security and optimal performance.<\/p>\n

Despite being available for over five years and generally receiving positive reviews, many Windows 10 users have been hesitant or unable to migrate to Windows 11.<\/p>\n

For a number of years following the launch of Windows 11, Windows 10 maintained its position as the leading operating system in terms of market share.<\/p>\n

The launch of Windows 10 was notably successful for Microsoft, following the poorly received Windows 8 and the minor improvements seen in Windows 8.1.<\/p>\n

In the first five months post-launch in July 2015, Windows 10 attracted over 200 million users worldwide.<\/p>\n

This figure was more than double the user base of the widely used Windows 7 within its first six months of release.<\/p>\n

By early 2020, Windows 10 had amassed over one billion active users, solidifying Microsoft’s dominance in the PC operating system market.<\/p>\n

Since the cessation of support for Windows 10, the market share of Windows 11 has seen substantial growth.<\/p>\n

As per Statcounter Global Stats<\/a>, by September 2026, Windows 11 commanded 71.44% of the global Windows PC market.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Windows 10’s market share fell significantly since December 2025, yet it was still operational on 27.83% of all Windows PCs worldwide as of September 2026.<\/p>\n

Following the precedent set with previous OS versions, Microsoft has introduced an extended security update (ESU) program for Windows 10.<\/p>\n

For an additional cost, users unable to update can continue to access critical security updates for Windows 10.<\/p>\n

Organizations may find transitioning to a new operating system to be a challenging and lengthy process, necessitating updates across numerous employee computers and potentially field systems.<\/p>\n

IT administrators might also face challenges with compatibility regarding essential software utilized by the business.<\/p>\n

MyBroadband reached out to several prominent South African banks to gather insights into their Windows 10 migrations and any repercussions regarding operations, security, or regulatory matters.<\/p>\n

Standard Bank noted that the end of Windows 10’s support did not negatively impact its operations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile migration to Windows 11 is ongoing, our priority remains protecting client information, maintaining critical services, and addressing any remaining exposure,\u201d the bank stated.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe actively manage end-of-support technology through established governance, security, and remediation processes as part of the ongoing modernisation of our technology estate.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jochem Melis, chief information officer for Absa\u2019s engineering services and platforms division, mentioned that the bank has completed the transition from Windows 10 for its end-user devices.<\/p>\n

According to him, this transition was accomplished well before the end-of-support date for Windows 10, mitigating any significant security or regulatory concerns for the end-user environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do continue to have some ATMs which are vendor-managed appliances, some of which still run on Windows 10,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Melis explained that the risk profile of ATMs differs from that of other banking systems, as they are specially designed and closely monitored instead of functioning as general-purpose devices.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese also have appropriate segmentation and security patches from our vendors beyond the end-of-life date of the underlying operating system,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n

Capitec informed MyBroadband that its ATMs continue to operate on Windows 10 and have secured extended support until 2032.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of our ATMs have already been migrated to Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2021, until 2032, a version of the operating system built specifically for embedded devices like ATMs,\u201d they explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe remaining ATMs are covered by extended support while migration continues. These devices are also hardened and further protected by security software.\u201d<\/p>\n

Capitec emphasized that its ATMs function on a segregated network with stringent access regulations, reducing exposure to potential vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n

Nedbank reported it has largely completed the removal of Windows 10 from its systems.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have not experienced any material operational, security, or regulatory impacts arising from the end of Windows 10 support,\u201d they stated.<\/p>\n

FNB\u2019s chief information security officer, Celia Mantshiyane, confirmed that the conclusion of support for Windows 10 had no adverse effects on the bank’s operations, security protocols, or compliance responsibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe planned for it well ahead of time. As part of our normal technology lifecycle management, we moved our staff workstations to Windows 11 well before Microsoft\u2019s support deadline,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cProtecting our customers and their information remains a top priority for the bank. We have robust security policies, standards, and controls in place, and we monitor them continuously.\u201d<\/p>\n

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