Software updates are often seen as unnecessary and time-consuming, so a lot of people and businesses put them off. But what many people don’t know is that being lazy with making updates makes you vulnerable. There’s more than just cyber attacks that can result from out-of-date software.
The Dangers of Ignoring System and Software Updates
1. Increased Risk of Cyber Threats
By ensuring that your IT systems are up to date, you are making great strides in protecting your company’s data from hackers and other cyber threats. Ransomware, malware, and viruses are just a few of the cyber dangers out there that can exploit older software versions. One of the main reasons software updates are issued is to close up security loopholes and to better fortify it against bad actors. The last thing you want is to have an expensive data breach or stolen or unusable files. Coming back from a cyber attack is costly and frustrating, but it is easier to avoid with regular system updates.
2. Falling Out of Compliance
Many governments have rules and regulations on how technology is used. If a company is taking sensitive data from its customers or other entities, there are certain protocols that need to be in place. This is for the safety of all parties involved. Cleaning up cyber attacks is a costly and multifaceted job, so avoiding them is in everyone’s best interest. Having old software may put your business on the wrong side of the regulations. And that can result in a smaller pool of individuals and organizations to do business with. In fact, may businesses will only work with government-compliant businesses.
3. Fewer Integrations and Improvements
Older software tends to not work with newer software. There are better integrations for your company’s software that could improve workflow, marketing, and other areas of business, but outdated software robs your business of exploring more current and cutting-edge technologies to propel your business forward. There are also improvements to both the user interface and the back end of programs that come with updates.
4. Loss of Reputation and Authority
Business that are not in compliance with regulations are often seen as less reputable. That results in a loss of trust and brand authority with your customer base. When your customers and supplier know that their safety is a priority for your bussiness, they feel more comfortable conducting transactions. The last thing you want to do is drive business to your competitors due to lazy technology practices.
5. Incompatibilities
Finding out there are incompatibilities between software can really put a monkey wrench in operations. Software that isn’t updated may not work with updated software. If your business links directly to third-party suppliers or vendors, there may be some hiccups or total stalls in moving data. Incompatibility is an inconvenience that can be easily avoided when systems and software are kept up to date and in their optimal digital health.
It may seem like an unnecessary thing to do or even an inconvenient thing to do, but keeping up with system and software updates is extremely important and valuable. Failing to do so could have some catastrophic outcomes that would have been avoided had your business taken the time to update things. Many types of software offer automatic updating so that you don’t have to worry yourself with it. And automatic updates generally do not occur during peak business times as to not upset the flow of work. So take a moment and make sure your systems are up to date today.
