The Extended Lifeline of Windows 10 is a Ticking Clock for Manufacturers
Last month Nucor, North America’s largest steel producer, acknowledged a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized third-party access to certain IT systems, reported Reuters. As a precaution, Nucor temporarily halted production at multiple facilities while forensic teams and external cybersecurity experts investigated the breach and worked to contain its impact. Nucor’s incident is just one example of how cyber threats exploit aging digital infrastructure – and for many manufacturers, that infrastructure often includes Windows 10. But with Windows 10 reaching end of support on October 14, 2025, there is a deeper risk for shops that continue to rely on aging CNC infrastructure.
This year, manufacturers that don’t upgrade their Windows 10 machines risk missing critical OS-level security updates and losing compatibility with third-party solutions.
The New Reality of Windows 10 End of Life on CNCs
This year Windows 10 will no longer receive critical OS-level security updates. While support for Microsoft 365 apps on Windows 10 has been extended until October 2028, it’s far from a solution for the shop floor. It still means legacy CNC systems and other production technologies running on Windows 10 will become more vulnerable, not less. Compounding the risk, third-party vendors are already phasing out software support, while next-generation manufacturing platforms – from IIoT to real-time analytics – require compatibility with newer operating systems like Windows 11 and Server 2022. The gap between resilient, future-ready IT strategies and older shop floor systems is widening. This blog post explores what manufacturers can, and must, do to close that gap before it spreads into a serious operational liability.
The USB Epidemic: When Compliance and Productivity Collide
For many manufacturers still operating CNC equipment running on Windows 2000, XP or early versions of Windows 10, network segmentation or USB-based file transfers have become the go-to workaround for such outdated systems. However, this tactic is increasingly risky.
Running USB-based CNC file transfers have become the go-to workaround using Windows 10 and other outdated systems. However, this tactic is increasingly risky, exposing manufacturers to ransomware events, CMMC noncompliance and operational inefficiencies.
According to Honeywell’s 2022 USB Threat Report, “52% of threats are specifically designed to utilize USB removable devices,” with the vast majority of those threats able to disrupt industrial systems. Pair these threat actors with unsupported software, says Virgina Tech associate professor Lee Vinsel in a recent BBC article, and “there are all kinds of opportunities for failure here, especially when…companies stop supporting old software. Cybersecurity is a huge worry around this issue.” The Department of Defense well understands this concern. Its Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) 2.0 framework prohibits unmonitored file transfers and insecure endpoints – meaning non-compliance can result in disqualification from federal contracts.
Operational inefficiencies further intensify the risk. Poor CNC program version control and manual CNC program transfers can cost production hours and potentially lower quality output as a result of incorrect or outdated G-code files being loaded at the machine.
Closing the Gap
Rather than investing millions in full machine replacements, many manufacturers are turning to modern Distributed Numerical Control (DNC) systems to serve as their secure industrial network. Solutions like Predator Secure DNC offer targeted upgrades that align with industry compliance frameworks and cyber-hardening strategies. IT and operational leaders can isolate legacy equipment from domain threats, centralize logging across mixed-machine environments, like Fanuc, Okuma, Mazak and others, and meet NIST SP 800-171 encryption standards via FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography.
The Cost of Complacency
Doing nothing may be the most expensive option. The global average cost of a data breach soared to 4.88M, the highest total ever, according to a 2024 IBM report.
For a temporary and limited reprieve, Microsoft offers an Extended Security Updates (ESU) for Windows 10 that starts at $61 per device Year One, with pricing doubling every consecutive year for a maximum of three years after the end of support for Windows 10. Even so, there is no extended Microsoft ESU option after this time period.
Plotting Your Path
To mitigate the risk of your manufacturing operations, IT and operations should take the following steps to prepare for the end of Windows 10 support:
- Conduct a CNC Operating System (OS) and network audit before Q3 2025, identifying all legacy systems still running Windows 10 or earlier.
- Prioritize upgrades for machines processing sensitive IP or DoD-controlled projects.
- Implement secure DNC options along with Microsoft’s ESU to support phased migrations and DNC retrofits while maintaining compliance and uptime.
Maximizing Grace Periods
Microsoft’s 365 extension for Windows 10 is not a pardon, it’s simply a grace period. Manufacturers who fail to act may find themselves next in line for a costly ransomware event or compliance failure.
Manufacturing integrator Shop Floor Automations (SFA) has worked with hundreds of manufacturers to navigate such transitions securely and efficiently. The path to a resilient, connected shop floor doesn’t begin with rip-and-replace – it starts with informed decisions and trusted partners.
To receive technical guidance for your manufacturing operations, contact the experts at SFA now.
