“I think the answer is no, but there are some smart people around here,” writes longtime Slashdot reader shanen, “so… “Is there a firewall or router or other device that can adequately protect an old and no longer supported computer?”
I have at least two of them that come to mind and I might use them more often if there was a secure way to connect them to the internet.
The details matter enough, although it’s like opening a can of worms, but… One is a small old machine running an old and no longer supported version of Linux. Another is a Windows XP box that is too low-level customized to run Linux.
But the big concern involves a few old boxes that are only alive now because Windows 10 saved them from Windows 7’s end-of-service. Right now it looks like they might survive Windows 10 too, but two of them aren’t suitable for Windows 11. Plus my spouse has an old Windows 8 box now running under 10…
What happens when you combine lost security updates with internet connection? Share your best thoughts in the comments.
Can you use an insecure computer safely?