If it ain't broke don't fix it. How many times have you heard that phrase in your life? 

Generally, we tend to agree. However, there is an exception when it comes to operating systems and servers that have reached their end of service. Even if they appear to be functioning fine at the moment, it is not a wise decision – in fact, it can be outright perilous to delay upgrades. Even using outdated software can pose potential risks.

Let’s paint a picture: 

You’re sitting there working on a Friday and a little “Hey you’re due for software updates!” reminder pops up on your computer. And, just like every time it’s happened this week already, you click “Ignore” – you’ll do it next week.

Whether you meant to or not, in skipping this or any patch you automatically put yourself and your organization’s data at a major, unnecessary risk for a potential breach. Just ask Equifax, who skipped a full patch on its systems in 2017, a decision that caused one of the biggest data breaches in the history of the Internet. 

Like many people, you're probably a little annoyed by constant alerts requesting that you upgrade your software or download the latest patch, but ignoring them can be costly...