The Hidden Dangers of Outdated Hardware and Software

One of the greatest threats to modern businesses is a cyberattack and the consequent data breach. These types of threats often target outdated systems that haven’t been patched or upgraded with fixes to vulnerabilities. Today, we want to go over some of the most likely outdated hardware and software issues you might encounter on your own infrastructure so you can address them and keep your business safe.

Outdated Operating Systems

One of the biggest culprits that put businesses at risk of data breaches is the use of outdated operating systems.

Every desktop, laptop, smartphone, or server unit your business uses day-to-day has an operating system (like Windows 10, for example). Eventually, these operating systems, like any other piece of software, reach their end-of-life and stop receiving critical security patches and updates from the developer (again, like Windows 10 has). When this happens, vulnerabilities start to emerge that go unpatched, and if you’re not actively upgrading away from these operating systems, you’re putting a target on your business for threats that could destroy data and cause downtime.

By the way, Windows 10 is on its way out this October; have you considered how you’re going to upgrade away from it yet?

Legacy Business Applications

Software makes up a considerable portion of your IT infrastructure, and part of that might involve legacy application systems—applications that are no longer supported by the developer.

You can see where this is going; if an application is no longer updated by the developer, it is inevitable that vulnerabilities and security issues will emerge, given enough time—especially if the software was once widely used. Without regular updates, these systems will continue to be a threat to your business’ security, and cybercriminals will leverage them to gain access to your infrastructure. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when.

We recommend that all businesses utilizing legacy software systems upgrade to more modern solutions, like cloud-hosted applications that function in the same way, as they are more likely to stay supported by the developer into the near future.

Aging Network Infrastructure

Operating systems and software are often where vulnerabilities emerge, but even outdated hardware components can put your business at risk, like routers, firewalls, and switches.

Older hardware can’t take advantage of the advanced security features that modern equipment can, like improved encryption standards, intrusion detection, and access controls—and, just like software, hardware requires regular firmware updates in order to stay secure from emerging security threats. If you’re using older network hardware, not only are you likely experiencing operational issues, but you’re also running the risk of security issues that could be prevented with a little proactive implementation.

That’s what we’re all about—protecting the future of your business and making changes that will benefit it in the long term.

Does your business suffer from one, two, or all of the above issues? White Mountain IT Services can help you address them with our managed IT services. To learn more, call us at (603) 889-0800.

White Mountain IT

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