The Dangers of Running Outdated Software

In this blog, we will explore the dangers of running out-of-date software and how Aabyss can help your business identify and avoid these pitfalls. 

Don't forget to claim your FREE infographic "What Does End of Support Mean for Your Business?" before you leave. 

The software that your business relies on is only as good as its last patch and update.

Suppose you let your software and hardware get to the End of Life (EOL) or End of Service (EOS) stage. Critical patches and updates are no longer available in that case and will not be applied by the software/hardware manufacturer/developer.

Having out-of-date software or hardware can leave you vulnerable to many problems.

If you are thinking about burying your head in the sand and not rushing to upgrade your software because it still functions, please avoid falling into this trap, as running out-of-date software can lead to data loss, compliance issues and security risks.

Let's discuss the main implications of running outdated software and explain why it is not just essential but updating your hardware/software is crucial when your software/hardware reaches End of Life or End of Service.

Risks of using outdated software.

The main three categories of risks associated with using out-of-date software are:

Security Implications.

Your estate will be exposed and vulnerable to known and common cyberattacks as the manufacturer will not issue patches.

Threat actors may have already developed an exploit code. This can be done by reverse engineering your out-of-date software.

Compatibility issues may become severe as out-of-date software and hardware will only sometimes play nice with other systems, leading to corruption or data loss.

Using out-of-date systems may violate your organisation's security policies, hindering your business's progress and operational excellence.

Productivity Implications.

Outdated software can have negative consequences for your organisation. For example, you probably don't like slow software that constantly crashes and is hard to use, so why would you expect your employees to enjoy using them?

Using outdated software risks disruptions in workflows as your employees will be frustrated.

Frustrated employees will lead to a poor customer experience, primarily if they rely on software to do their job.

It pays to keep your software up to date to protect team morale and your organisation's reputation.

Privacy Implications.

Privacy issues can be the most profound implication of running out-of-date and unsupported software.

It is no secret that data privacy fines are issued to organisations that run outdated software that contains sensitive information.

Aabyss can help.

You've already taken the first step toward securing your company by recognising the dangers of using outdated software. However, mitigating the above implications may be a heavy lift since you'll have to set aside extra time and effort while running an organisation. Partnering with an IT service provider like us can ease your worry.

To protect your business, we can help you identify outdated software and hardware. We can keep you up to date on the latest security threats and how to mitigate them. We can also update your systems to the latest versions to ensure protection. If you would like a consultation, please feel free to contact us.

You can learn more by downloading our infographic "What Does End of Support Mean for Your Business?" by clicking the image below.