Windows Updates Vulnerability Question

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Dear Customer Support-

I have a question about vulnerability. I am on a fresh new Dell desktop running Windows 10 Pro 1903 from the very first boot, now at build 18362.356. Am I less or more likely to have issues with Windows Updates than:

1. Someone running Windows 10 Home?
2. Someone running Windows 10 today who started his journey with Windows using Windows 7 or Windows 8 some time in the past?

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I can’t say I have noticed any anecdotal difference between issues discovered in Home and Pro Win10 installations in general use, but I’m not aware of any data to back this up, sorry.

Where looking at the complexity of Pro installations used in business might account for some changes though. Many Home machines run limited software, meaning less potential for software conflicts. Likewise, they are less likely to have additional hardware installed than Pro business machines.

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Hmmmm….

As far as vulnerability – are you more or less susceptible to malware? – I’d say there’s very little difference. Malware has changed markedly in the past five years. Most malware these days arrives because somebody did something stupid. If we could just airgap brains.

As far as patching – protecting yourself from getting hit by bad patches – the HUGE difference is between Win10 version 1903 and all earlier versions. The ability to Pause updates, both in Home and in Pro, is a game changer.

As far as fresh installs vs upgrades – I think the traditional wisdom holds. You need to make sure you have a clean copy of Windows every so often. In Win10, it’s easy to get a complete blood transfusion, by using the Settings > Update & recovery > Refresh your PC option, or nuke it from orbit with the “Start fresh” tool.

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