Technical debt occurs when a business delays IT upgrades or chooses solutions that are quicker or cheaper than required to effectively support its operations. This debt can accumulate over time, resulting in increased cybersecurity risks and significant, unplanned expenses to replace unsupported or obsolete software and hardware.
To help reduce technical debt, prioritize the following software and hardware best practices:
- Frequent patching
- Timely upgrades to current software versions
- Regular rotation schedule for hardware refreshes
Importance of Frequent Patching
Frequent patching is one of the easiest ways to help protect against cyberattacks and it’s a key element in a layered approach to cybersecurity. Patches can fix bugs and optimize software. More importantly, they fix security vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals.
How Cybercriminals Find Vulnerabilities
Publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities are identified, defined, and catalogued by the CVE Program. CVE is an international effort that helps cybersecurity professionals coordinate their work prioritizing and developing fixes. Every vulnerability is rated as a low, medium, high, or critical risk. Patches are developed and prioritized for deployment based on these categories.
The disclosure of vulnerabilities to the public through CVE Records can be an open invitation for cybercriminals. They’ll go on the prowl looking for unpatched systems, either using manual scans or computer bots. By keeping patches current, the hackers are more likely to pass you by.
Business Risks from Unpatched Systems
Unpatched systems are a proven business risk. According to the Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) the exploitation of vulnerabilities as an initial point of entry almost tripled from the previous year, accounting for 14% of all breaches. This spike was driven primarily by the increasing frequency of attacks targeting vulnerabilities on unpatched systems and devices (zero-day vulnerabilities) by ransomware actors.
According to the Verizon 2024 DBIR, 85% of critical vulnerabilities are unremediated 30 days after discovery, 47% are not corrected after 60 days, and 20% are still active after 180 days. After an entire year, cyber criminals can still find 8% of unpatched vulnerabilities to go after.
Patching is a best-practice requirement for cyber liability insurance risk assessments . Often, assessments require critical patches to be applied within 30 days. Make sure you have the necessary reporting in place to prove that you patch, since a cyber liability insurance carrier could deny your claim if you’ve falsely stated you patch or you can’t prove it.
Finally, if you’re breached due to a vulnerability that has a known patch available, the task of defending your actions to clients, regulators, and insurers becomes challenging and potentially costly.
How to Keep Patches Current
- Make sure your IT provider remotely applies patches from Microsoft and other key software vendors on a regular basis. Critical security updates should be applied as soon as possible. Ask for the patch reports so that you can keep on top of machines with missing patches.
- If your IT provider doesn’t manage patches for you, set all computers to automatically update, and avoid using the “Remind Me Later” button. Keep in mind that automatic updates will not generate reports.
- Set browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.) to automatically update.
- Set your phone and tablet to automatically update.
Prioritize Timely Upgrades to Current Software Versions
Software vendors are constantly overhauling their entire packages for better performance and security.
It’s tempting to put off installing the newest version of software because it disrupts your team and can be expensive. If you fall one or two versions behind, your technical debt may be manageable. Beyond that, you may find compatibility issues with new hardware, unsupported operating systems, and difficulty upgrading data files to catch up to a newer version.
End-of-life is when the software vendor announces they will no longer provide support after a specific date, including feature updates or security patches. If you don’t stay current, you could incur significant expenses down the road if you’re forced by the vendor to completely upgrade due to end-of-life.
Unsupported software presents several risks, including:
- Security vulnerabilities: Without critical security updates, systems become increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks, data breaches, and malware. This can lead to operational disruptions, reputational damage, and financial losses.
- Compliance issues: This includes not meeting industry regulations (like PCI DSS) and the expectations of cyber liability insurers that require systems to run on supported software. After end-of-life, your software may not be considered compliant, putting your business at risk of fines and penalties.
- Compatibility issues: If you plan to purchase new applications, the software may not be compatible with unsupported systems, hindering business operations.
For planning and budgeting, it’s important to be aware of end-of-life schedules for business-critical software. Here are upcoming end-of-life dates for commonly used software packages:
- Adobe Acrobat 2020 – June 2025 (new version is subscription-based)
- Microsoft Windows 10 – October 2025
- Microsoft Publisher – October 2026
- Microsoft Server 2019 – January 2029
As you can see, vendors provide these dates years in advance. Knowing them allows you to implement smooth transitions to more feature-rich and secure software.
Maintain a Regular Rotation for Hardware Refreshes
Industry best practices recommend that business hardware be replaced every 3-5 years. The most effective way to plan an annual hardware refresh is to review the hardware asset inventory and budget for a segment of assets to be replaced each year. This approach keeps your assets more secure and your budget more manageable.
Sometimes, an operating system upgrade will require you to purchase new hardware. We’re seeing that now as businesses move to Windows 11 in anticipation of the Windows 10 end-of-life in October 2025. Depending on your environment, it may make financial sense to skip upgrading old machines and instead gradually transition workstations directly to Windows 11-compatible computers.
One option that needs to be off the table is to continue running unsupported machines. Running unsupported software presents risks that far outweigh the expense of upgrading.
Reducing Technical Debt
New technologies and new cyber threats emerge daily, so almost every organization has some level of technical debt. The good news is your IT team can help keep it under control with frequent patching, software upgrades, and hardware refreshes.
If you’d like to know more about how CRU Solutions can help keep your business stay ahead of technical debt, contact us.