How to Protect Legacy Systems from Security Threats

Legacy systems are like a comfort blanket. The longer we hold onto them, the more dependent on them we become. But, eventually, they’re going to need a new patch to keep them functional, if not a total replacement.

These systems may have served your organization faithfully for years, but after some time, they begin to create a potential security risk for your company. Learn exactly what legacy systems are and how to protect them from cyber threats to improve your organization’s overall network security.

What are Legacy Systems?

For those unfamiliar with the term, legacy systems are any outdated computing software or hardware components that are still in use at an organization. One key aspect of a legacy system is that the software and hardware in question still complete the original function it was designed for, but it no longer supports new technology that would allow it to grow.

As new software or hardware is introduced, it can be integrated with an organization’s current systems to enhance usability. After a period of time, however, these legacy systems will become obsolete compared to new technology and cannot be integrated with them anymore.

What Security Threats Pose a Risk to Legacy Systems?

Given that legacy systems are only able to be integrated with new technology for so long, security updates can only be applied for a certain period of time as well. Security software is designed to patch holes in computing networks and hardware and increase the advancement of security features that reduce cyberattacks and vulnerabilities, but legacy systems are so old that they don’t work with this new software.

Common security features that may not be compatible with legacy systems include:

• Multi-factor authentication
• Role-based access to data
• Single sign-on
• Lack of encryption methods

Considering the above security measures that enhance the protection of your organizational networks, it raises the question of what security risks can be caused by using legacy systems. Here are a few common security concerns:

1.Evolving cybersecurity attacks: As computing and hardware technology continues to evolve, security breaches will also become more advanced. While non-legacy systems can take advantage of software updates that patch security vulnerabilities, legacy systems are left unprotected. This can make them a target for cyberattacks.

2.No customer support for cybersecurity: Nowadays, security providers are capable of helping organizations with their security needs in the moment, but legacy systems have no access to this support

3.Potentially breaking the system: An organization’s effort to update its legacy systems with new security software may actually do more harm than good by overloading the system and causing it to break from the stress of an update.

From malware being uploaded, greater risks of a data breach, ransomware attacks, and other types of security risks, older legacy systems are unable to protect themselves.

How to Protect Your Legacy Systems

Given the increased risk legacy systems face, it may seem logical to simply not use legacy systems. However, the cost of getting new equipment, growing pains associated with change, and overall user difficulty are all reasons switching to a new system may not be worth it. In this case, learning how to protect legacy applications is the best choice. Here are a few strategies that can help:

• Segment your systems: Separate the legacy systems from your more modern systems to compartmentalize the flow of data. By doing this, a security breach in your legacy system will not be able to spread to the other systems in your organization.
• Utilize in-house developers: Some in-house developers may be capable of creating specific security patches for legacy systems, but these are often still not complete.
• Perform security audits: Comprehensive security checks on access control, apps, operating systems, and overall cybersecurity should be performed on a consistent basis with legacy network infrastructure. Doing so will allow an organization to identify when a cyberattack occurs and will allow them to deploy a security solution in an efficient manner.

When your legacy systems begin to create security concerns due to an inability to download up-to-date network protection that has evolved due to digital transformation, it’s time to take a closer look at those systems. Overhauling your network would be the easiest solution for modernization and protection against cybercriminals, but this isn’t always feasible.

Focus on enhancing legacy technology as best you can to reduce cybersecurity threats and keep a closer eye on the data and traffic that goes through these systems.

Improve your security network today

Keeping your network protected should always be a top priority, regardless of whether you use legacy systems or have a more modern setup. There are many steps you can take to bolster the firewall of your networks and overall organizational security. If your business is in Columbus, Cleveland, or Akron, and you’re ready to learn how to enhance the security of the legacy systems for your organization, get in touch with us here at Warwick today.