Not automatically. On an interactive display, the operating system's name matters less than three things: whether the device is still receiving patches, how it was configured, and whether anyone manages it. A Windows OPS module left on Windows 10, with a default admin password and someone's account signed in, is a weaker device than a current Android board under a management console. An Android 13 board that the vendor has stopped patching, with its screen-sharing service open to the whole network, is weaker than a locked-down Teams Rooms on Windows system. Each platform has strong options and weak ones. At SourceIT, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P1 is S$46 per user per year and Teams Rooms Pro, which includes Defender for Endpoint P2 and Intune for the room, is S$610 per room per year (listed 31 Oct 2026).
Where do the real risks come from?
| Risk | Android board | Windows OPS board | What reduces it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patch supply | Google's October 2026 bulletin covers Android 14 to 17; Android 13 boards rely on the vendor's own fixes | Windows 10 support ended 14 Oct 2025; Windows 11 versions get 24 (Pro) or 36 (Enterprise/IoT) months | Buy current versions; ask how long the vendor patches |
| Exposed services | CERT/CC VU#234131 (Sep 2026): unauthenticated flaws in ViewSonic ViewBoard's vCast sharing service | Remote access and file sharing left enabled on a general-purpose PC | Disable what you don't use; segment the network |
| Default settings | CVE-2023-33806: insecure default configuration on a Hikvision 86-inch interactive panel | Teams Rooms on Windows ships with a default Admin password that Microsoft says to change as soon as possible | Change defaults at installation |
| Management tools | CVE-2025-53704: weak password recovery in the MAXHUB Pivot management client | Same risk applies to any remote tool | Patch the management software too; use MFA |
| App sources | Google EDLA boards are Play Protect certified; uncertified boards "may not get Android system updates", Google says | Any Windows software can be installed unless locked down | Restrict installs; kiosk mode |
From Google's Android Security Bulletin (Oct 2026) and Play Protect help page, CERT/CC VU#234131, NVD/Tenable CVE records, and Microsoft Learn (Windows 11 release information; Teams Rooms security, Aug 2026).
The vulnerabilities above are examples, not a scorecard. Counting published CVEs by operating system says little about a particular board, because a well-patched, locked-down device on either platform is a much smaller target than a forgotten one.
What does a locked-down board look like on each platform?
Microsoft's own room devices are a useful benchmark, because it publishes the baseline for both.
- Teams Rooms on Android: devices run a modified AOSP with no Google Play Store or Play Services by design, run in kiosk mode with launcher access disabled, have ADB switched off on release software, and must support Android encryption, which Intune compliance can enforce.
- Teams Rooms on Windows: TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Kernel DMA Protection, HVCI and Credential Guard are on by default; the device runs as an Assigned Access kiosk; Defender is on; Windows updates install daily between 02:00 and 03:00.
Both are hardened appliances. The weaker setups are the ones in between: a general Android board with every app allowed, or a Windows OPS module used as a shared desktop PC, with a staff member's email and files left signed in.
Neither Android nor Windows is the safer board. The safer board is the one that is patched, locked down and on someone's list.
What should you do, whichever OS you choose?
- Buy a supported version. Android 14 or newer, and Windows 11 for OPS modules. Avoid buying Windows 10 hardware now.
- Change default passwords and remove unused admin accounts at installation.
- Turn off unused services, such as casting protocols, remote desktop or file sharing.
- Put boards on their own network segment. A business firewall such as a Fortinet FortiGate can keep display traffic away from finance and HR systems.
- Enrol every board in a management tool, whether Intune, the Teams Admin Center or the vendor's console, so updates and settings are tracked.
- Sign users out and clear content after each session. Data on boards is covered in Can You Really Trust Android Interactive Displays With Confidential Company Data?
- Keep an inventory with OS versions and end dates. See A Cyber Incident Can Start With a Forgotten Device in Your Office.
For the Android update question specifically, see Your S$5,000 Interactive Display Runs Android. Should You Be Worried? The published flaws in interactive displays so far are covered in Is Your Interactive Display Secretly a Cybersecurity Risk?, and the wider room picture in Another Cyberattack in the Headlines. But Is Your Meeting Room Secure?
Buying in Singapore
SourceIT supplies boards on current operating systems, including the LG 65TR3DQ (Android 14, S$2,587.50) and Samsung WA65F (S$3,212.50), and Windows 11 Pro OPS modules such as the Avocor i7 Gen 12 OPS (S$1,715.62). Security and management licences include Defender for Endpoint P1 (S$46 a year), Intune Plan 1 (S$120 a year) and Teams Rooms Pro (S$610 per room a year). Prices listed 31 Oct 2026. The Yealink MeetingBoard 65 Pro, a certified Teams Rooms on Android board, is price on request. Browse Smart Interactive Displays. For a quotation, use Request for Quotation on the product page, call (65) 6978 3502, email Sales@sourceit.com.sg or use our contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Windows more secure than Android on an interactive display? Not inherently. Security depends on whether the device is still patched, how it is configured and whether it is managed. Microsoft publishes hardened baselines for both in its Teams Rooms devices.
Are Android 13 interactive displays still getting security updates? Not from Google's monthly bulletin, which covered Android 14 to 17 in October 2026. Any new fixes for Android 13 boards now depend on the display vendor.
Have interactive displays had real vulnerabilities? Yes. Examples include unauthenticated flaws in ViewSonic's vCast service (CERT/CC VU#234131), CVE-2023-33806 on a Hikvision panel and CVE-2025-53704 in the MAXHUB Pivot management client.
Should an interactive display be on the main office network? Preferably not. Microsoft recommends an isolated network segment for Teams Rooms devices, and the same approach suits other boards.
What is the first thing to do after installing a board? Update it to the latest firmware, change default passwords, turn off services you don't use and enrol it in a management tool.
