Even software has a use by date. Recently Microsoft announced that version 8, 9 and 10 of Internet Explorer would no longer be supported. What should you do when software goes EOL.
With the constant cycle of updates and incremental new versions of our favourite software, it’s understandable that not every version can remain supported forever.
The process of putting a piece of software out to pasture is known as ‘End of Life’ or EOL and essentially means that the creator will no longer publish updates or release patches for that program.
Microsoft recently announced that Internet Explorer version 8, 9 and 10 will no longer be supported on Windows 7, 8.1 or 10.
While this likely won’t affect a great deal of people it does raise an interesting question in this extremely fast moving, digital society: how could software going EOL affect you?
“No updates, no patches, no fixes”
Mark James, ESET IT security specialist, explains the potential impact of EOL software and provides a few tips for staying up to date.
“EOL (End of Life) software will sadly haunt us for many years to come: from operating systems to browsers and all manner of applications it’s a fact that some software will no longer be supported or updated.
“It’s just not possible to span a finite amount of resources to look after the ever increasing versions of software and expect the same great service from companies we trust.
“So what exactly does EOL mean? No updates, no patches, no fixes, no new versions and no support options if things go wrong.
“This basically means it’s a hot potato and YOU need to drop it as fast as you can, with the majority of malware being delivered via your web browser these days it’s imperative you keep it as up to date as possible.
“Of course sometimes it’s not always possible to do this and Microsoft has stated they will do their best to factor in better compatibility into their new Edge browser.”
Here are a few very basic tips on ensuring you’re using up to date software and what to do when moving away from software that is no longer supported.
- Always ensure you have a good up to date Internet Security product installed and working at its optimum level. •
- Check your operating system (OS) and where possible make sure you’re using the latest OS possible. •
- Before moving completely to a new application make sure you test everything to ensure there are no compatibility problems. •
- Security should be multi-layered, think of it like a bicycle chain and remember you’re only as strong as your weakest link. •
- There are many browser alternatives as well as options on the internet to “Check your browser security” not all browsers are equal.
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Do you use any software which is no longer officially supported?
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