An employee reports that their laptop is no longer receiving updates and patches. What is the most likely cause of this problem?

The most likely cause of the laptop not receiving updates and patches being identified as end-of-life is based on the understanding that software and operating systems have a defined support lifecycle. Once a system reaches its end-of-life, the vendor ceases to provide updates, which include security patches and feature enhancements. This can leave the laptop vulnerable to security threats and performance issues as it no longer benefits from the latest improvements or protections issued by the manufacturer.

In contrast to this, malware infection could lead to update issues, but it is not the primary reason based on the description given. Hardware failure might cause a laptop to function improperly, but it would not specifically prevent updates and patches from being received. Network connectivity issues can affect a device's ability to download updates, but they are temporary and can be diagnosed and resolved, while end-of-life is a more permanent status affecting the software support. Thus, end-of-life is the most fitting explanation for the scenario of the laptop being unable to receive updates.