Old Windows, New Risks: How End-of-Life Systems Threaten OT Security and What You Can Do

In this episode of Protect It All, host Aaron Crow takes a hard look at one of the biggest blind spots in OT cybersecurity: legacy Windows environments still running inside plants, refineries, and utilities. From Windows XP to Windows 10’s upcoming end of support, Aaron breaks down why these systems persist, the true cost of “doing nothing,” and the high-stakes trade-offs between replacement, isolation, and risk mitigation.

You’ll discover:

Why outdated Windows systems remain critical yet dangerously exposed.
The myths of “true air gaps” and why they don’t protect you anymore.
Practical isolation tactics, segmentation, strict access control, and monitoring.
How to manage asset visibility, vendor dependencies, and downtime risks.

Whether you’re a cybersecurity leader, plant manager, or operations engineer, this episode is your roadmap to making smarter, safer decisions about legacy systems before they cause costly disruptions.

Tune in to learn how to balance operations, cost, and security and protect your OT world from old-system vulnerabilities.

Key Moments:

01:22 "End-of-Life Systems in OT"

04:15 Upgrading Systems in Regulated Industries

07:35 Reducing Risk with Network Segmentation

12:02 "Firewall Rules and System Security"

15:52 Understanding Risks in End-of-Life Systems

18:54 Securing Legacy Systems Effectively

Connect With Aaron Crow: