Resellers prosper as cyberattacks spook clients into Windows 10 adoption

After the WannaCry and Petya attacks, reseller tells CRN that Windows 10 is now 'front and centre' for clients

The response to recent cyberattacks has been the accelerated adoption of Windows 10, leaving resellers to gain from rattled businesses.

Two years after its launch, 60 per cent of global organisations have adopted Windows 10, according to a new study by Spiceworks.

The study from the market watcher, Windows 10 Adoption: Two Years After Launch, also found that Windows 10 has surpassed Windows XP to capture the second-highest share of operating systems.

Spiceworks accredited the Windows 10 surge to a response to recent cyberattacks, such as WannaCry and Petya.

Elsewhere, Windows XP is currently running on 11 per cent of desktops and laptops, while its penetration rate decreased by 10 percentage points in just three months.

Windows 7 continues to maintain the highest share among operating systems, running on 68 per cent of laptops and desktops in businesses across the globe, the study found.

"In recent months, widespread ransomware attacks such as WannaCry and Petrwrap have put businesses under pressure to upgrade unsupported operating systems, such as Windows XP and Vista, and move to more secure systems like Windows 10," said Peter Tsai, senior technology analyst at Spiceworks.

"While Windows XP is still running in some businesses, it's evident that more companies are beginning to recognise the security risks and prioritise upgrades in order to better secure their networks."

Dan Scarfe, founder of New Signature, told CRN that the research matched what the reseller is seeing in the market.

"Windows 10 is front and centre for our clients, especially after the cyberattacks of recent months.

"This will probably escalate as in the past many customers had been underinvesting for years. The budgets are now being made available for these software upgrades," added Scarfe.