Τα Windows 8 είναι μόλις τριών ετών, και σύμφωνα με την πολιτική της 10-έτους υποστήριξης της Microsoft, θα μπορούσε κανείς να υποθέσει ότι θα λαμβάνει δωρεάν ενημερώσεις ασφαλείας για πολλά χρόνια ακόμα. Χάρη όμως σε μια ιδιοτροπία στον εν λόγω κύκλο ζωής υποστήριξης, ο χρόνος τελειώνει. Αν χρησιμοποιείτε ακόμα τα Windows 8, ήρθε η ώρα να αναβαθμίσετε. 
The Microsoft Support Lifecycle for each version of Windows is 10 years from the release date of the operating system. This means that even those who are still running Windows Vista can expect to receive security updates for more than a year even before 11 April 2017. If you run Windows 7 you will receive updates with confidence up to 14 January of 2020.
So what happened to Windows 8, which was released in October of 2012, should be backed up over the next decade, right?
No.
Thanks to a whim of support lifecycle, Window 8 will be cut off by security updates. The first Patch to be released on Tuesday 12 of 2016 will be the latest security update for Window 8.
So if you're running Windows 8, it's time to upgrade to Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 or else the computers is at risk of being exposed to future zero-days.
But let's see why this issue arose with Windows 8…
The reason for this strange situation is because Microsoft considers Windows 8.1 as Windows 8 service pack. The company's regulations allow operating system users not to install a service pack, but only for two years.
Below is Microsoft's official position:
Unlike service packs which are usually just a collection of fixes, Windows 8.1 has new features and enhancements. We designed Windows 8.1 to enable customers to develop this update in a way that is similar to the way our customers develop service packs, so we have implemented the existing service pack support policy in Windows 8.1 ….
… ..Support for Windows 8 expires 24 months after the release of the service pack or at the end of the product support lifecycle, whichever comes first. If you use the software without the latest service pack no new security or non-security updates will be offered, although pre-existing updates will continue to be provided.
The good news is that upgrading to Window 8.1 significantly increases product support time. Windows 8.1 arrives at the end of 10's extended 2023 support phase in XNUMX.
For those who don't know, upgrading from Windows 8 to 8,1 unlike any other Windows upgrade requires you to go through the Windows Store, instead of the Windows Update. The update is free for almost everyone. The only exception: Any company using Windows 8 Volume Licenses that do not include Software Assurance will have to pay extra.
