Microsoft announces extension of updates for voting systems

Sep 23, 2019 06:11 GMT  ·  By

Voting machines running Windows 7 will continue to receive free security updates though the end of 2020 despite the January 14 end-of-support date for the operating system.

Microsoft says it wants to provide devices that will be used in the voting process with security updates not only in the United States, but also in other democratic states that express their interest in this regard.

Additionally, the software giant says it’s working with the government to make the process of certifying voting machines smoother in an attempt to speed up the upgrade process to newer software.

“As we head into the 2020 elections, we know there is a relatively small but still significant number of certified voting machines in operation running on Windows 7. We also know that transitioning to machines running newer operating systems in time for the 2020 election may not be possible for a number of reasons, including the lengthy voting machine certification process – a process we are working with government officials to update and make more agile,” Tom Burt - Corporate Vice President, Customer Security & Trust, says.

Consumer versions of Windows 7 going dark on January 14

Microsoft says it is also working with PC makers to guarantee that security updates for these devices are shipped in a timely manner during the election process.

“As a next step in protecting the 2020 elections, the Defending Democracy Program will make extended security updates available for free to federally certified voting systems running Windows 7. We are also working with major manufacturers that have sold voting machines running Windows 7 to ensure any security updates provided to these systems are successful,” Burt explains.

The extension does not concern the consumer versions of Windows 7, which will still be retired on January 14, 2020.