6 Technologies You Shouldn’t Use Anymore.
The pace at which technology develops is unquestionably rapid. Tools that were once must-haves, such as Internet Explorer and Adobe Flash, become antiquated. New tools take the place of old ones. Vulnerabilities in outdated technology can leave computers and networks open to breaches and malware infections. While older technology may still operate properly on your systems, this does not imply it is safe to use. Software and hardware that are no longer being maintained do not receive critical security updates. Updates often patch newly found and exploited system vulnerabilities. No security patches, means that a device is a sitting duck for a cybersecurity breach. Approximately one-third of data breaches are caused by unpatched system flaws.
Another disadvantage of utilizing outdated technology is that you might be left behind. Your company may appear to your consumers as if you’re in the stone ages, and they may lose confidence and trust in you.
The importance of data security rests on many factors:
- Data breaches and malware infections can happen to any organization, no matter the size.
- You are likely subject to one or more compliance regulations regarding data privacy (e.g., GDPR, PCI-DSS). These increase in stringency every year.
- Your customers trust you with their data—a loss of that trust could mean losing them as clients or risking litigation against your company for negligence. In this day and age, a company’s reputation is its most valuable asset; protect it at all costs!
- Limit the impact of outdated hardware on your systems. Outdated systems not only hamper employee productivity, but can also lead to good team members leaving due to frustration. In fact, a study found that 49% of workers would consider leaving their jobs because of poor technology.
If any of the following outdated tools are still in use on your home computer or within your business, it’s time for an upgrade. So, without further delay, here is what’s on the chopping block:
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash was a once-ubiquitous tool for playing multimedia content on the web. Most games, videos, and advertisements were created using Adobe Flash. However, the software had, (and still has), many security vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities were exploited by hackers to infect millions of computers with malware. Adobe ceased development of Flash in 2020 and has stopped distributing the software at the end of 2020. Adobe recommends that users uninstall Flash from their computers. You can read another article how adobe flash update spoofing is used by hackers to gain access to your computer. Here is an article how James systems got hacked not being careful with a flash player “update”.
Internet Explorer
Netscape Navigator is no longer competition with Internet Explorer for browser dominance. Lucky for you, picking which one to use between the two, won’t have to be a decision you will ever have to make again. Internet Explorer was once the most popular web browser in the world. However, it has since been eclipsed by Google Chrome and Microsoft’s replacement for it, Edge, and is no longer maintained by Microsoft. The last version of Internet Explorer, 11, will continue to receive security updates until 2025. After that, Microsoft recommends that users switch to Edge. As a matter of fact, Microsoft started to phase it out in 2015, so it has basically been running on life support for 10 years.
Windows 7 and Earlier versions
Windows 7 was one of the most popular versions of Windows ever released. It was so good that Microsoft extended its support for an additional couple of years. However, (like all good things), it’s time to say goodbye, as Microsoft ended its extended support for Windows 7 on January 14, 2020.
This means that Microsoft will no longer release security updates for the operating system. If you are still running Windows 7, you should upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11 as soon as possible. Microsoft is making it easy by not charging you anything for this upgrade.
macOS 10.14 Mojave and Earlier Versions
Apple also recently discontinued support for an older version of its desktop operating system. macOS 10.14 Mojave was the last version of macOS that was compatible with 32-bit apps. As of macOS 11 Big Sur, all apps must be 64-bit. This means that any 32-bit app you were using on Mojave will no longer work on Big Sur.
If you rely on any 32-bit apps, you should not upgrade to Big Sur until those apps have been updated to 64-bit versions. If you have already upgraded, you can still run 32-bit apps by booting into the Mojave installation on your computer. However, Apple will no longer release security updates for Mojave, so you should only use it as a temporary measure.
Microsoft Office 2010
If you are still using Microsoft Office 2010, you should upgrade to a newer version as soon as possible. Microsoft ended support for Office 2010 on October 13, 2020. This means that the software will no longer receive security updates. Office 2010 is also no longer compatible with the Microsoft 365 cloud service. As a result, you will not be able to use features like real-time co-authoring and automatic backups.
If you need to continue using Office 2010 for some reason, you can install the software on a virtual machine. This will isolate it from your main computer and help to protect you from any security vulnerabilities.
Microsoft SQL Server 2014
If you are still using Microsoft SQL Server 2014 or an earlier version, you should upgrade to a newer version as soon as possible. Microsoft ended support for all versions of SQL Server 2014 on July 9, 2019. This means that the software will no longer receive security updates.
SQL Server is a database management system. It is often used by businesses to store customer data, financial information, and more. If you are still using SQL Server 2014, your data may be at risk of being compromised. Upgrade to a newer version of SQL Server to get the latest security updates and protect your data.
The problem with SQL server is that often times it runs in the background on your computer and many other software packages rely on this database in order to run. So, while it may not be used by you directly, if you are running software that needs it, you will need to make sure it is updated. Or you get rid of your legacy software that still relies on SQL server 2014.
Get help Upgrading your systems
Upgrading legacy systems can be challenging, sometimes the software does not allow you to skip versions, and features are lost and broken. If you develop an upgrade path, including plans to properly upgrade software, databases, and hardware, (in a coherent process), most problems can be eliminated. If your business still relies on aging or outdated systems and you need assistance to upgrade, please contact AlphaCIS. AlphaCIS is a managed IT services provider in metro Atlanta area, you can call us directly at (678) 619-1218
