Imagine your computer is a house. Microsoft is the builder, and every month they send out locksmiths and trades to fix broken windows, reinforce doors, and patch up any weak spots that burglars might use to gain access.

But one day, Microsoft stops sending help.  You are in a Windows 10 suburb, they say, the Windows 10 suburb is too old. They’ve moved on to a newer suburb: Windows 11. The old houses still stand, but they’re no longer maintained.

Now picture a thief discovering a clever way to break into a house in Windows 11. Microsoft quickly sends locksmiths and repair crews —locks it up tight. But in doing so, they unintentionally publish the break-in details. These details apply to older suburbs too (Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7, etc).

And here’s the twist: while the new suburb gets reinforced, the old one doesn’t. Every criminal online now knows how to get in, and the doors in Windows 10 are open.