Is anyone aware of the long-term viability and security implications of running legacy Python distributions on Windows 7 machines post end-of-life? Specifically, I’m interested in practical strategies for developers or organizations that must maintain Python-based tools or services on Windows 7 due to operational constraints. I’m aware that recent Python releases (3.9+) have dropped official support for Windows 7, yet some scenarios require continued use-usually tied to critical software dependencies or hardware integrations not feasible to upgrade.
What are the current best practices for:
- Obtaining secure and reputable Python installers/distributions still compatible with Windows 7 (e.g., WinPython, Miniconda, or custom builds)?
- Applying security mitigations, such as isolating the environment or using tools like py2exe/pyinstaller to freeze applications and minimize attack surfaces?
- Managing dependencies where wheels or source distributions require newer OS features or cannot be compiled on Windows 7?
- Monitoring and mitigating emerging vulnerabilities, considering that both the OS and the language interpreter are no longer receiving fixes?
Does the community recommend virtualization, containerization (where possible), or other sandboxing approaches as a reasonable compromise between operational necessity and security? Further, are there specific Python 3.8.x builds (as last supported version) with backported patches, or unofficial LTS efforts, that might be considered trustworthy?
Looking for insight both from a security and operational stability perspective.
