Time’s Up for Windows 10: The Hidden Obsolescence Threat Facing Industrial SCADA Systems

As Microsoft retired Windows 10 in October 2025, a quiet but significant risk is emerging across factories, processing plants, and critical infrastructure. For electrical engineers and production leaders, this is not just a software lifecycle milestone. It is a direct challenge to the reliability, security, and compliance of the control systems that keep industry moving.

Obsolescence: The Invisible Risk in “It’s Still Working”

Many industrial operators are still running Human-Machine Interface (HMI) and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems on Windows 10 platforms. Once Microsoft ends support, these systems will no longer receive essential security patches, updates, or driver certifications.

That shift exposes control environments to escalating risk:

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities, with no new updates to guard against evolving threats.
Hardware and driver incompatibility, as new processors and chipsets lose backward support.
Regulatory and compliance exposure, particularly in sectors governed by cyber and data integrity standards.

The consequence is subtle but serious. What appears stable today may become the weakest link in tomorrow’s operation.

Engineering Resilience Beyond the Operating System

Upgrading control systems is more than an information technology refresh. It is an engineering decision that affects long term reliability and operational safety. Legacy HMI/SCADA systems often depend on aging software stacks, fixed Windows builds, and obsolete communication protocols.

Modern SCADA solutions, such as GE Vernova’s Proficy HMI/SCADA suite, address these constraints by offering:

Windows 11 readiness and alignment with future operating systems.
Edge-to-cloud data connectivity that removes reliance on outdated middleware.
Secure, modernised architecture with ongoing lifecycle and cybersecurity support.

These advances not only mitigate risk of obsolescence but also enable smarter use of data, remote visibility, and performance optimisation. These capabilities are increasingly essential in connected industrial environments.

The Cost of Waiting

Every month spent on unsupported systems compounds risk and technical debt. Reactive patching, manual workarounds, and unplanned downtime all erode productivity and weaken operational confidence

Many engineering teams are using this period to:

Conduct audits of SCADA and HMI dependencies.
Verify hardware readiness for Windows 11 or industrial Linux migration.
Work with vendors that provide certified upgrade paths and long term support.

This proactive approach turns an urgent compliance challenge into an opportunity for modernisation. It aligns plant operations with the demands of a digital industrial future.

Act Now to Secure Operational Continuity

With the Windows 10 end of support date now in the past, the need for action is even more immediate. Electrical and automation professionals must evaluate their current systems and complete a secure migration.

GE Vernova, through its Proficy software family and global network of partners, offers structured upgrade assessments and migration services designed to minimise downtime while strengthening the future of control environments.