End of Life Software: Risks, Dangers & What to Do Next
Understanding what to do when you have EOL software becomes crucial to the security of your organization. So, what happens when your system reaches EOL?
When software reaches EOL, it means that program will no longer be supported by the developer and there will be no more updates. Without updates and bug fixes, this software becomes vulnerable to hackers and cyber criminals.
Nothing lasts forever. This applies to software and infrastructure. Legacy solutions and applications are a reality for most organizations from small to medium size businesses and definitely for the enterprise world. For any company investing in cloud initiatives, End of Life (EOL) becomes even more complex.
What is End of Life (EOL)?
Sooner or later everything we use reaches its tipping point and a technological expiry date. End of Life (EOL) is when the manufacturer stops developing and servicing the product. This can include discontinuing technical support, upgrades, bug fixes, and, most importantly, security fixes.
A few risks you want to look out for if your business is running EOL software are:
Operational Risks Can Cause Business Interruption
While discussing EOL with business stakeholders you often hear the argument that the legacy system or application is super critical for the business and it has operated without any problems for many years. Why change a system that is reliable and currently operating?
These stakeholders eventually see that EOL components become less and less reliable over time and more prone to failures. They tolerate these conditions until something goes really wrong.
Software nearing EOL also impacts usability. We live in a fast-developing world where new standards emerge and make old ones obsolete. People suddenly find themselves in a situation where the critical web application still works but web browsers no longer support the old encryption in transit methods used by the web application. If these risks materialize, they can cause business interruption, driving up costs and creating client unhappiness.
Security Risks Can Damage Your Reputation
Cyber security risk is widely understood given cyberattacks and data breaches are reported in the press every day. This does not mean that everyone takes the appropriate remediation efforts to address them.
As mentioned, end of life technology receives no security updates, bug fixes, or patches; it is dead in the eyes of the manufacturer. That means your security is completely compromised, not only for the system or software that is EOL, but also potentially for any others that connect to it.
In the worst case scenario, your EOL system or software can be hacked and data stolen. Such cyber security incidents are embarrassing, putting your reputation and customer trust on the line.
Compliance Risks Can Result in Hefty Fines
Regulatory scrutiny is on the rise therefore compliance with regulatory requirements is no longer an option. GDPR, PCI, SOX or HIPAA are prominent examples, and they require that all technologies used must be supported.
Compliance risks on EOL systems are similar to cyber security risks. By failing compliance requirements with legacy systems or software, a business can face hefty fines, particularly in the event of a data breach.
Support Risks Can Increase Maintenance Costs
The longer EOL technologies are kept past their supported life cycle, the higher the costs increase for keeping them running. Over time businesses have fewer people who are familiar with the legacy technology and are capable of supporting it. When support demand exceeds supply, maintenance costs increase in parallel with the risks of a security or compliance event.
Operating End-of-Life systems and software may be tempting but the financial, security, and compliance risks far exceed the benefits. All serious technology providers provide plenty of advanced notice prior to sunsetting an obsolete technology. Businesses that adhere to these announcements and move off of legacy technologies save more than investment dollars. They may also save their reputations and customer loyalty. Remaining or relying on EOL technology is just not worth the risk.
