Businesses need to be prepared with only a week to go.
Are you still running Windows Server 2003?
Maybe your 2003 server has never let you down and still functions as it always has with no problems, maybe you can`t upgrade to a newer operating system as your Line Of Business (LOB) applications will only run on Windows Server 2003. One or indeed both of these points may be the reason some businesses have stuck with their existing setup rather than upgrading. However, upgrading before support ends from Microsoft is a necessity.
The main reason for this is security, or rather the lack of it after July 2015.
No more security updates
Most people will probably not even notice security updates from Microsoft on their PCs and servers other than the message that pops up sometimes asking you to reboot your machine following the installation. These are usually installed automatically or managed by administrators and IT support providers but however unnoticeable, they play a huge part in the securing of Windows networks.
Increased hacking potential
Hackers are constantly trying to find ways to exploit all operating systems. There are many reasons why they do this. They may be trying to steal information or money from a company, disrupt access or cause outages to websites. Some hackers will try to gain access to a system just for fun or for the fame and the status they will gain just for hacking a particular system. Whatever the reasons, hacking is always a major concern for any company. Without Microsoft’s security updates your business is left wide open to any hacking attempts.
Non-compliance
Non-compliance with PCI security standards or HIPAA data policies will also become a major issue if Windows Server 2003 is still running within your business. As the software is now outdated, it will not pass a compliance audit. So if you accept payment via credit cards or if you handle sensitive data, upgrading is a must!
In a nutshell, our advice is to upgrade to Windows Server 2012 as soon as possible – don’t leave your business exposed to unnecessary vulnerabilities.
