Outdated Technology Ubiquitous and Risky

Offices tend to use devices until they are outdated, and to rely on technology long past recommended replacement cycles – practices that create unnecessary cybersecurity risks. Example: With BYOD now a routine corporate practice, the fact that more than 1 billion Android devices are using OS versions that are at least one, more likely two years out of date, creates an opening for malware infections. Old Androids that aren’t patched are susceptible to vulnerabilities, and it may not be possible to patch an old device because there is no room left in memory, or it simply can’t support newer OS versions. Another risk of using old equipment – especially laptop and desktop computers – is that it likely doesn’t meet the newest WiFi protocol standards. Without strong Wi-Fi security, data may be intercepted and the risk of a distributed denial of service attack is increased. Organizations continue to hang on to old technology because it is familiar, and replacing it is expensive. Many organizations don’t have the budget for regular upgrades and replacements, and try to squeeze as much value out of their hardware as possible. This inefficient behavior may begin to shift as younger IT professionals take on decision making roles.