A “Government Edition” of Windows 10 running on various computers in China is being removed from systems of the country’s state-operated organizations. According to the latest report, the Ministry of State Security has issued the order due to cyber vulnerabilities, which is a strange turn of events, especially given that Microsoft and another firm, C&M Information Technologies (CMIT), were tasked with developing a custom version of Windows 10.
The custom Windows 10 version was introduced in 2016 after meeting several of China's security requirements. Various consumer features were disabled while integrating proprietary Chinese encryption. The latest report from Bloomberg states that plans to pull the plug on Windows 10 use have moved up many months ahead of schedule due to increased national security concerns.
The prevailing belief is that continuous reliance on U.S. technology leaves China vulnerable to cyberattacks, espionage, and the insertion of foreign backdoors. Despite the joint version developed by Microsoft and CMIT, China apparently distrusts codebases of foreign origin. In addition to seeking independence on chipmaking equipment and paraphernalia, China also seeks autonomy in software use, but the report hasn’t named an alternative.
Apart from gravitating toward a custom version of Windows 11, the only other option for China is to rely on Huawei’s HarmonyOS. However, there’s an opportunity for state-backed Linux distributions, such as UnionTech’s UOS and Kylinsoft's Kylinsec. Following the announcement, domestic operating system vendors saw their stock prices surge on Chinese markets, reflecting the massive windfall expected as public sector contracts shift entirely to local developers.
It’s still unclear why China is breaking the shackles on Windows 10, but it’s likely connected to the ongoing tensions with the U.S. Just weeks before both regions are set to have bilateral meetings, China has issued a stern statement that it won’t compromise on digital security. The departure from Windows 10 signals the final chapter in the government’s transition away from Western software, but whether this move was made in haste or had several months of planning behind it, we’ll let the readers decide.
News Source: Bloomberg
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