The dangers of still using Windows XP

The details of the security breaches at Target and Home Depot can be down right scary. Possibly none of the details are more disturbing than the recent information regarding how the breaches may not have happened if the retailers had upgraded their embedded systems to a more modern Operating System.

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A report by the DailyTech has concluded that the recent security breaches at Target and Home Depot could have been avoided if the retailers had not been running Windows XP for their embedded systems. In the report the author goes into detail about the XPe systems the retailers were using and the underlying XP malware exploits used to steal more than 100 million credit cards.

Here are some broken down notes your business can take away from this report.

1.) Still using XP on your business network can be very dangerous to you and your customers. The version Target and Home Depot was using was even still supported until 2016 and it was still a liability. The version we see still running in small business networks is no longer supported which makes it an even greater risk.

2.) If a large corporation with a much greater IT and security budget than small businesses is at risk by still using XP then you can be sure your small business network can be at an even greater risk.

3.) No one is saying that if the retailers had been running a newer operating system like Windows 7 or 8 that the breaches absolutely would not have happened. It is impossible to know that for sure. What we are saying is that by using modern updated systems the probability of such a breach is much less.

What can Microdome do to help your business avoid such a disaster?

1.) If some or all of your systems are still running Windows XP we can create a migration plan to move to a newer version. We can then execute that plan for you so that the migration is as seamless as possible.

2.) If you are already running a newer operating system on most of your systems, but you still have legacy systems or software that require still using Windows XP we can help mitigate the risk to your network. We can modify your network so that the systems that absolutely must still run Windows XP are isolated from the rest of your network. Ideally it would be best for us to help you find a replacement system/software that wouldn’t require using Windows XP, but we do understand that for small businesses at times this simply is not an option.

3.) Even if all of your systems are already running the latest updated operating systems there are still services we can offer to help mitigate security risks. A lot of security risks can be addressed at the network level before even reaching your individual computers and servers. In this age of mobile device overload network level security is more important than ever. We can plan and deploy network changes and policies that can greatly reduce your risk of a security breach to your business.

Our goal at Microdome is to make sure our customers receive the best advice and service for their business. We know that every customer is different and that is why we work with each individual customer to create solutions that best fit their needs. We treat each customer as if their business was our business and provide the best service to make sure your business network is as secure and efficient as our own.

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