Microsoft no longer supports Windows 10 version 1809, but the lovely folk at 0patch do

It's only a week since Microsoft stopped supporting some older versions of Windows 10 -- specifically the Home and Pro editions of Windows 10 versions 1803, 1809 and 1909 -- but it won't be long before the effects are felt.

While Windows 10 version 1809 reaching "end of servicing" means there will be no more official patches and updates from Microsoft, the operating system will not be left completely unsupported. For anyone unwilling or unable to upgrade to a more recent build of Windows 10, micro-patch service 0patch has stepped up to the plate to lend a hand.

See also:

• KB5000842 update is causing high-pitched sound problems for some Windows 10 users
• Microsoft gives Windows Terminal a promotion in the latest Windows 10 builds
• Recent KB5003173 update is causing 0x800f0922 errors in Windows 10

The company says that it is "security adopting" Windows 10 version 1809 in an attempt to help address "the 'security update gap' on supported Windows versions". Although it is relatively easy for most home users to get their systems updated to the most recent version of Windows 10, it's a rather different story for big companies with large number of computers of different configurations to consider.

Announcing its security adoption of the newly abandoned Windows 10 version 1809, 0patch says:

The May 2021 Windows Updates will contain the last official security fixes for many editions of three Windows 10 operating system versions:

For organizations with any of these versions installed on their computers, this means the end of official security patches, and a pressure to upgrade to a supported Windows 10 version. Such organization-wide operating system upgrade may seem like a simple, mostly automated task - but in reality, updates break things,

In addition, with many users working from home these days, upgrading an operating system involves users downloading a huge update via their home Internet connection and difficult remote assistance in case something goes wrong with the upgrade.

Consequently, customers were approaching us in recent months asking whether we were planning to security-adopt some of these Windows 10 versions (mostly version 1809), as they were looking for ways to keep using them securely.

And so we've decided to security-adopt Windows 10 v1809 (build 10.0.17763) - as we have previously security-adopted Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Office 2010.

This is far from being the first time 0patch has helped out users of Windows. As well as adopting older versions of Windows in the past, the company has also been quick to offer micro-patches for security flaws in the operating system before Microsoft has been able to do so.

0patch adds:

Starting this month, initially for one year, we will actively gather information about vulnerabilities affecting Windows 10 v1809 and, based on our risk criteria, create micropatches for this operating system. We will be particularly interested in any vulnerabilities patched by Microsoft in still-supported Windows 10 versions, and whether they might affect v1809 as well.

These micropatches will be included in 0patch PRO and Enterprise licenses along with all other micropatches we're issuing - which means that users protecting their Windows 10 v1809 with 0patch will also receive our occasional micropatches for "0day" vulnerabilities in various products.

In order to have our Windows 10 v1809 micropatches applied, users will have to have their computers fully updated with the latest (May 2021) official Windows Updates provided by Microsoft.

More information is available in the 0patch blog post.