Running Outdated Software Is A Poor Decision, Here’s Why

When your software reaches it’s End of Life (EoL) or End of Service (EoS), you’ll become vulnerable to issues since the product is no longer being updated. Many people don’t immediately upgrade because the product is still functioning, however this can lead to data loss, security risks, and becoming non-compliant with regulatory entities.

What Using Old Software Can Do

The types of issues you might run into when using outdated software can be broken up into 3 categories.

Security Issues

• Since there’s no longer any security patches from the vendor, your infrastructure can be vulnerable to known exploits
• Cyber criminals may have already developed exploit code by reverse-engineering the software, which will aid them in compromising systems
• Compatibility issues can arise with other hardware and software, which can lead to data corruption
• Operational efficiency may decline as using old software may violate your organization’s cybersecurity policies and procedures

Privacy Issues

If unsupported software contains classified or sensitive information and is compromised somehow, you may be at risk of being fined by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). When personal information is exposed, like social security numbers, passwords and email addresses, you could be tasked with remediation, which will take a chunk of time and resources away from growing your business. You might also be fined depending on how much data was accessed or lost due to negligence.

Productivity Issues

Having outdated software may slow down your business. Considering old software can be difficult to use, may run poorly or even crash on occasion, it can disrupt your employee’s workflow. This may affect your company’s reputation if these issues seep into customer service and have an effect on customer experience. When you upgrade or use up-to-date software, it’s easier to avoid these types of problems.

Partnering with an IT provider will make it easier for your business to understand the hows, whens and whys of cybersecurity best practices. Give us a call at 585-582-1600 for a free consultation.

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