The Cybersecurity Risks of Unsupported and EoS Software (And How We Mitigate Them)

End of support on your software licences can potentially leave you exposed to all manner of security risks, but there is a solution. 

End of software support is a phrase that has become the bane of many a business over the years. As the deadline draws near, companies are forced to face the reality of exactly what it means for their business. The truth is just because the OEM vendor has declared your software product ‘end of support’, does not mean it is unsupportable.

While many companies may see the appeal of going unsupported over the expensive upgrades being pushed on them by the OEM vendors, it leaves you stranded and vulnerable when something goes wrong. Also, often in regulated industries, customers are not allowed to go unsupported, while who and how it is supported is not mandated- it must be supported.

Cybersecurity and regulatory risks can be a huge issue for any business running unsupported software and they can have a massive impact on the operation, and reputation, of your company as a whole. This crossroads of costly upgrades vs. unsupported software catches many businesses cold, but thankfully Origina offers struggling software users a third path that they can travel.

A Risk Not Worth Taking

The threat environment is continually changing, so you must remain agile. If you choose to let your software go unsupported, you are leaving your systems vulnerable to major cybersecurity and non-compliance risks. No software support or maintenance means no security patches, which leads to a host of potential problems like data breaches, ransomware, malware infections and massive disruptions to your business operations. An unsupported environment is prime real estate for hackers to access not just the software, but the entire network of your business.

Some examples of the cybersecurity your unsupported software could face include:

• Unmitigated Vulnerabilities: If your systems remain un-updated, then it leaves vulnerabilities that can be exposed by hackers looking to gain access to your systems and your data. Also while updates may address vulnerabilities in previous versions (they don’t always), they can also introduce new vulnerabilities.
• Ransomware attacks: Ransomware attacks usually exploit vulnerabilities in order to encrypt an exposed business’s data and blackmail them to release it or regain operational functionality.
• Malware infections: Malware is used to steal data, spy on users, or take control of the system and any unsupported systems are more susceptible to its introduction.
• Data breaches: If you’re software is unsupported, attackers may find new ways to access your system and steal sensitive information, this can result in loss of finances, legal issues, and irreparable damage to your company’s reputation.
• Wider network access: Vulnerable points in your software estate can be used as a gateway by hackers to gain access to your wider network. This means they can gain access to any and all information that your company stores, including customer and financial details.
• Performance issues: Cybersecurity attacks can compromise your systems performance drastically.
• Increased disruptions: An attack can result in huge downtime for your systems, including the time it takes to address the issue, and can result in massive loss of earnings.
• Supply chain attacks: An attack that exploits third-party risk, attackers compromise a vendor or service provider to gain access to their customers’ systems.

It’s more than just these as well, with unsupported software your business could face compliance and regulatory issues, massively increased costs associated with downtime and recovery and incompatibility with new features or systems. In essence, if your software isn’t secure- then neither is your business.

Securing Your Systems With Independent Support

Origina offers you an escape route from having to choose between costly, disruptive and risky OEM vendor upgrades and risky unsupported software by giving you the support and security you need on your existing systems. Origina has always believed that support should end when you no longer need it, not when the vendor tells you it’s time.

Our unique approach to maintenance and support means that you don’t need to stress about the security of your systems if you don’t opt into vendor-driven upgrades. We keep your trusted tech ticking for as long as you want. By avoiding unnecessary change you can also avoid unnecessary risk.

Beyond avoiding potential upgrade risks, Origina’s security expertise also stretches to your day to day support and maintenance needs. Origina take a contextual, risk-based, defence in-depth approach to cybersecurity which means we can harden your environment to defend against risks before they before they are realized and prioritize them effectively when they do.

“Cyberattacks are rising fast, fuelled by misconfigurations, ambiguous vulnerabilities, and evolving threats. Organizations must shift from checkbox compliance patch/fix to risk-based strategies—prioritizing threats, hardening systems, and using expert support to close security gaps effectively.” states Ben Lypzcynski, Director of Security Services at Origina.

At Origina, we take a proactive approach to your security:

• Assess and review: When a security vulnerability is identified, we review and assess the potential impact to your business
• Create risk mitigation actions: If no existing patch is available, our expert GIE’s create an action to mitigate any vulnerability exposure.
• Develop fixes: If risk mitigating actions aren’t possible, our experts will develop a technical action to address the issue.

Origina’s approach to better security is simple, we protect customer systems by identifying vulnerabilities, prioritizing them, and implementing solutions to safeguard against them. Origina has always believed in putting the customer first and we take this same approach to cybersecurity. We keep your systems safe with expert cybersecurity that serves your business needs.

Looking to secure your trusted tech today? Get in touch with Origina.