Technology progresses rapidly, often more rapidly than users are ready for. It’s hard to give up a browser or operating system that you’ve been working in for several years.

But as product developers move on, they drop support for their older products, when this happens, it can lead to breaches. Security vulnerabilities can be exploited that are no longer having patches released for them. Users are stuck in time with no way to update those older technology tools.

Using discontinued technology is both a risk to network security and compliance. Penalties for data privacy compliance violations are often higher when it’s found that a company hasn’t been following best practices to secure sensitive data. 

When you can no longer patch system vulnerabilities because support for a product has ended, a breach is bound to happen. Approximately 1 in 3 data breaches are enabled by unpatched system vulnerabilities. 

Not keeping your technology tools (operating systems, internet browser version, software, mobile device OS, etc.) updated also hurts productivity. A company falls behind because it can’t benefit from advanced features. Incompatibility with newer tools is also a common issue when using older technology.

Below are several technology tools that are discontinued already or soon will be that you should replace as soon as possible.

Windows 7

While most people have upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 10 or 11 by now, there are still a surprising 13% of users that hang onto this discontinued operating system. 

In some cases, there may be older computers in a company that are only used occasionally while still running this outdated OS. But even if they’re used sporadically, it only takes one connection to the internet for a hacker to exploit this unsupported OS. 

Windows 7 lost support on January 14, 2020, over two years ago, and it’s very dangerous to still have this on a PC that’s in operation.

Internet Explorer

Internet Explorer (IE) has been going through a replacement cycle for the last seven years, as the newer, younger Microsoft browser, Edge, takes its place. Edge was introduced in 2015, and now has the same base operating system as Chrome.

IE has already been losing cloud app support from platforms like Microsoft 365 (tools by the same company that made IE). It’s losing all support from Microsoft beginning June 15, 2022. 

If you’ve been hanging onto IE because you have legacy apps that need the browser to work correctly, there is a safer way. The Microsoft Edge browser has “IE Mode” which allows you to use Edge to safely access those legacy sites.

macOS 10.14 Mojave and Earlier

It’s not uncommon for Mac users to keep their machines in operation for 8-10 years. This is because the cost of a Mac computer is high, especially when compared to the many options you get with Windows devices. 

However, there comes a time when older systems can no longer upgrade to the new Mac operating system. Once the OS the machine is stuck with loses support, the device is at a high risk of being breached through phishing or brute force attacks.

No longer supported versions of Apple devices include those running macOS 10.14 Mojave and earlier.

Adobe Flash Player

Adobe Flash used to be the exciting app ruling the internet. It was used for online games, animated cartoons, and even entire websites. While it may have had its day in the sun, Adobe Flash has now been put out to pasture by Adobe, being discontinued and losing all support on January 1, 2021. 

You may still have remnants of the Adobe Flash Player on work computers and not realize it. This is a browser plugin, so you would need to remove the plugin from the PC’s browser(s) and ensure all Flash files are removed from the computer.

Microsoft SQL Server 2014

SQL is a popular database framework that is used by millions of companies. If you use Microsoft SQL Server on your on-premises server to run work processes, you need to keep the software upgraded to prevent a breach of your data.

If you’re still running Microsoft SQL Server 2014, then you’re still good right now as the server is still receiving security updates, However, you should start considering an upgrade soon because time is running out.

Mainstream support has already ended for this version, and on July 9, 2024, all support, including security updates will stop. 

Upgrading a server operating system or migrating to a new, more modern server isn’t something that can be done on a dime. It takes careful planning and plenty of lead time. So, while two years might seem like plenty of time, 2024 will be here before you know it, so it’s best to begin the process now.

Get Help with Upgrades & Migration from the Pros

AhelioTech can help your Columbus area business ensure your technology systems are operating safely, and smoothly guide you through any data migrations. 

Contact us today to learn more. Call 614-333-0000 or reach out online.