Are you planning to end F-Secure for Windows7?

BloodyUsernames21
BloodyUsernames21 Posts: 5 Observer

I would like to know if you are planning to end/stop F-Secure from working on Windows7? if so when.


In December I will have to renew my subscription but if you are planning to make F-Secure stop working on Windows7 anytime next year then I might as well not bother renewing. Unless you'd refund the month's I'd lose, e.g. say you plan on ending it in June well after that it won't work for me anymore, so would you maybe refund customers July-Dec.

Hope you aren't planning on ending at least not next year anyway.

Accepted Answer

  • Cale
    Cale Posts: 288 F-Secure Product Manager
    Answer ✓

    Hi,

    Database updates still flow to Window 7 for a year or two, but eventually we will stop supporting that OS. We will publish an official statement well in advance before that happens. We still strongly recommended that you stop using Windows 7 due to it's possible security vulnerabilities, but it is understandable that you don't have that option at the moment.

    -Cale

Answers

  • Ukko
    Ukko Posts: 3,611 Superuser
    edited October 2021

    Hello,

    Sorry for my reply. // this is my own thoughts (I am also only an F-Secure user).

    There is a Knowledgebase Article about: When will F-Secure home products stop supporting Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System ? - F-Secure Community

    There is a specific date. But also words like "at least". So, I think they will support Windows 7 until some changes in product that incompatible with platform (Windows 7). I mean, if some 'added' or 'improved' functionality will be only with higher versions of Windows. And, I mean, something in core rather than cosmetic (or so).

    Unless you'd refund the month's I'd lose, e.g. say you plan on ending it in June well after that it won't work for me anymore, so would you maybe refund customers July-Dec.

    Perhaps, at first - only fresh installation or 'reinstallation' will be declined. However, existed installation should work for a while even without official support (as platform). So, there must be some gap between normal and critical situations.

    However, you can always reach their official Support and ask them about if they friendly with this kind of refund design (or what will happen in the situation you describe by their opinion).

    Thanks!

  • BloodyUsernames21
    BloodyUsernames21 Posts: 5 Observer

    Thanks for the link ukko, from that link

    "It is recommended that you upgrade your Windows operating system to a Microsoft supported version as soon as possible. Any new security flaws found in Windows 7 will not be patched by Microsoft, which is why even if you have an F-Secure product installed on your device, it will not guarantee protection against any security flaws found in the Operating System."

    At the moment I'm unemployed and have no money incoming, so at moment buying a new copy of windows10 and I'd want to get a new SSD to install it onto, is currently not in my budget right now.

    I mostly use my PC for gaming sometimes that's online, and some of my games are old and just work ok on windows7, not all old games will work on windows10 or the new windows11 even using the compatibility mode option, so I'd want to keep windows7 rather than upgrade it to windows10 hence wanting a new SSD for windows10.

    Also ok it might not help with flaws in the OP system but surely F-Secure could still give some protection when we go online, still allow us to do scans on our HDD/SSD and (importantly) on any files we might download. Ok maybe Core F-Secure upgrades might stop but surely virus database's ( just guessing here e.g. the Hydra, Capricorn updates and maybe the Virgo) could they not still be made to update on windows7.

    It's not just old games that might stop working with newer windows versions ether.

  • Ukko
    Ukko Posts: 3,611 Superuser

    Hello,

    At the moment I'm unemployed and have no money incoming, so at moment buying a new copy of windows10 and I'd want to get a new SSD to install it onto, is currently not in my budget right now.

    Indeed, it is always tricky to buy (or get) a fresh device. So, mentioned quote was about recommendation. They recommend rather than insist. And then it tried to explain why there might be trouble or why it might not make sense to support (too long) operating systems without the support of the system vendor directly.

    This is fine keep the device or system that suits you. The only trouble with unsupported Windows is a potentially vulnerable state (where any other third-party security layers will be useless). This state, actually, can be with any system - but the supported ones can be fixed pretty quickly.

    I think that (as you described) most of the functionality will continue to be available and provided by F-Secure. Or, at least, they should have "announced" it before it became too unexpected for the user.

    Technically (maybe) it is possible to block an option to scan, received database updates - but based on mentioned article's wording "...at least..." - I think these things will be still in use unless a really special changes with functionality (system instructions / libraries / ways in use). Then it can be difficult to support both, but 'existed' installations on Windows 7 can be active for a while. I mean, fresh installation or reinstallation - not; but active installation still works (but some updates to F-Secure - skipped).

    Anyway, only my thoughts. I am not sure how it will come. The only point is that until mentioned date - Windows 7 and F-Secure SAFE should be fine together.

    Also ok it might not help with flaws in the OP system but surely F-Secure could still give some protection when we go online, still allow us to do scans on our HDD/SSD and (importantly) on any files we might download. Ok maybe Core F-Secure upgrades might stop but surely virus database's ( just guessing here e.g. the Hydra, Capricorn updates and maybe the Virgo) could they not still be made to update on windows7.

    I think their reasoning is mainly related to the fact that users should not rely hugely on the F-Secure solution when there is an unsupported OS. But, of course, there are still some protection and can be enough against most of threats. It's just that they, as a security company, find it difficult to provide "security" only partially. And on an already unsupported system (Windows 7 by Microsoft), there may be only partial.

    Sorry for my English.

    Thanks!

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