News
Don’t let your operating system get hacked!
Your business could face a major security risk when Microsoft discontinues support for Windows 7 & Server 2008/2008 R2 next year.
On 14 January, 2020 Microsoft will retire Windows 7 & Server 2008/2008 R2 and no longer issue security updates. The soon-to-be-obsolete operating system is still a popular choice for many companies. According to a report by Help Net Security from earlier in the year, 43% of businesses were still using Windows 7.
However, as Microsoft cannot guarantee critical patches after it ends Windows 7 support, we are recommending businesses update their software as soon as possible. With the deadline approaching, is your business prepared for this critical platform change?
What are the risks?
Unfortunately, hackers are always on the prowl for unpatched and insecure devices. Businesses that rely on the security updates or support for PCs running this operating system will be at greater risk of viruses, data loss or computer corruption. For most companies these are risks that they just can’t afford to take.
Our top tips:
- A well-documented network – be aware which operating system is running on each machine in your warehouse
- Make sure your internal IT team is up to date on relevant changes, how they can mitigate the risks and ensure all your data is safely backed-up
- Upgrade to a newer operating systems – there are a number of choices when making this decision, but we would recommend updating to the latest version you can
- Migration should be well planned and scheduled to reduce any possible downtime on your conveyor system
- Understand your applications and the impact the migration will have on them
How can we help?
We can help your business minimise the risk of viruses and security breaches, by migrating and updating existing imio installs to supported versions of Windows. It is also worth reviewing your existing IT infrastructure to support this by using an IT specialist such as Highstream Solutions.
We can integrate imio software to act as the middleware between the critical host such as JDA, SAP, infor etc and machine automated systems. Have a read of our case study for Pets at Home where we recently delivered a legacy control system update.