Microsoft ends Internet Explorer 10 support for Windows Server 2012
Microsoft ended support for Internet Explorer 10 -- the default browser of Windows 8 when it was initially released -- in Windows Server 2012 and Windows Embedded 8 Standard in February 2020.
Microsoft notes that "all updates, paid assisted support options, and technical content updates for Internet Explorer 10" are discontinued as of February 11, 2020; this means that Microsoft won't release security updates for Internet Explorer 10 on the March 10, 2020 Patch Tuesday.
The company announced in January 2019 that it would make Internet Explorer 11 available to organizations that run Windows Server 2012 and Windows Embedded 8 Standard. Microsoft published a reminder about the upcoming support end of Internet Explorer 10 in August 2019.
Internet Explorer 11 was available as an optional update previously but Microsoft changed that to a recommended update recently. On Windows Update, Internet Explorer 11 will be listed under the important section instead of optional section, and on WSUS, the update type displays as recommended.
Administrators are asked to install the latest Internet Explorer 11 cumulative updates after the installation of the browser. Later in 2020, updates for IE11 will be included in monthly rollups next to being offered as cumulative updates for Internet Explorer 11.
Once you have installed Internet Explorer 11 on your devices, we recommend that you also install the latest “Cumulative Update for Internet Explorer 11” for Windows Sever 2012 and Windows Embedded 8 Standard to remain secure. Later in 2020, updates for Internet Explorer 11 will be included into the Monthly Rollup and continue to be available as “Cumulative Update Internet Explorer 11” in the Microsoft Update Catalog and WSUS.
Companies should install the new version of Internet Explorer on devices even if the browser is not used actively. Other components of the system may use Internet Explorer modules and attacks targeting Internet Explorer might exploit vulnerabilities in the now unsupported version of the web browser.
Organizations may use the Enterprise Mode for application and website compatibility according to Microsoft to "continue to launch applications that have a dependency on Internet Explorer 10 in a 'compatibility mode' while using Internet Explorer 11".
Image credit: YAYImages/depositphotos.com