Keep Your Software Up to Date!
When it comes to software, the saying "never change a running system" is simply wrong! As a software vendor, we repeatedly see companies using MailStore products striving to update their software quickly and consistently after an update is released. While we could speculate on why this is the case, we prefer not to. Instead, we want to continue raising awareness among our SME customers that IT security is not just a luxury but also an absolute necessity. How up-to-date a company's software is plays a major role in this. It's not just MailStore software that is affected; for example, operating systems or programs used for daily tasks such as Microsoft Office or email clients are also affected.
Keep Your Software Up to Date! When it comes to software, the saying "never change a running system" is incorrect! As a software vendor, we repeatedly see companies that use MailStore products striving to update their software consistently and quickly after an update is released. While we could speculate on why this is the case, we prefer not to. Instead, we want to continue raising awareness among our SME customers that IT security is not just a luxury but also an absolute necessity. How up-to-date a company's software is plays a major role in this. Not only is MailStore software affected, but also operating systems or programs used for daily tasks, such as Microsoft Office or email clients.
Faulty Software Poses Risks
A piece of software consists of thousands, sometimes millions, of lines of program code and is rarely error-free due to its size alone. When other software programs, hardware components, and networks are added into the equation, faulty program code becomes not just a breeding ground for security vulnerabilities but also generally the cause of malfunctions and opportunities for tampering with the software. Security vulnerabilities identified in a software program provide an ideal gateway for malicious software. IT security is our first reason for asking IT managers in SMEs to keep their software up to date.
IT Security
The threats to IT security are increasing – cybercrime has become a daily risk and computer criminals have become more professional than ever. IT managers reduce the risk of known security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals by continuously updating their software. We continuously optimize our software in terms of security. This process ensures that we are confident that our software is up to date and provides a wide range of security. After all, email archives usually contain critical data from a business perspective! We have been continuously and systematically developing the security of our software since version 10, by preventing unauthorized access through modern encryption.
Bug Fixes
As the scope and complexity of software programs increase, technical methods aimed at minimizing errors in software development have become more complex than ever. Developing completely error-free software is a goal, but not a reality. Therefore, almost every piece of software contains errors or abnormalities known as bugs in the program code. These are either discovered by us at MailStore or reported to us by users, for which we are of course very grateful. These errors are then gradually corrected as part of the company's ongoing development process. You can find these fixes in our change logs as well (Change Log for MailStore Server https://www.mailstore.com/en/products/mailstore-server/changelog/, Change Log for MailStore SPE https://www.mailstore.com/en/products/mailstore-spe/changelog/).
Features and User Experience
Finally, companies benefit from new features that come with a new version of a software program. We regularly add new features to our products, making working with MailStore easier, more comfortable, and more secure. Recent examples of this include sensitive and Encrypted Web Access, Status Reports and Retention Policies.
We want our customers to have the best possible security level, user experience, and access to all available features. Therefore, companies are required under Clause 10(6) of Our Terms and Conditions to immediately install the new versions of the software or updates.
Summary
The slogan "Never change a running system" is one of the most commonly misunderstood IT recommendations. This phrase is derived from the well-known sports slogan "Never change a winning team." However, everyone who is interested in sports knows that coaches must make changes from time to time to maximize their team's performance. Sometimes, it is necessary to bring in players with different skills. If we apply this image to a company's IT, one thing becomes clear: Keep your software up to date and use the provided updates.
Source: Keep Your Software Up to Date! - MailStore (mailstore.com)