IT Tips & Tricks: Check How Long It’ll Be Supported September 20, 2024 – Posted in: Cyber Security, IT Support, IT Tips & Tricks – Tags: Cyber Security, cybersecurity, IT Tips, ITSupport, patching, SoftwareSupport

When you’re buying a new piece of software or hardware you should always check how long it will receive support and updates for. We’ve explained before why out of support software is dangerous on PCs, but the same applies to mobile phones, routers, smart TVs, even smart locks or cookers – anything that can run code, especially if it connects to the internet. Any device that is out of support is at risk of being hacked. Some apps like Microsoft Authenticator wont even run on an out of support phone to protect your MFA codes.

Tech companies will publish the dates where their software or hardware goes out of support, what they won’t necessarily do is link or present that information on the buy it now page. It’s particularly risky with refurbished or second hand devices – it’s easy to buy something that’s already unsupported. For example iPhones more than 7 years old will no longer get security updates – so if you buy a ‘new’ second hand or refurbished iPhone that’s three years old, you’ll only have four more years before it goes out of support.

You might be thinking that it’d be simple to avoid such issues – buy new! Unfortunately there are times when companies will continue to sell items right up to, or even after the out of support date. The Ivanti Cloud Service Application 4.6 went out of support in August 2024. It is to buy available until December 2024.

So if you’re planning to buy a new device or a new app, make sure you ask the sales people and/or check the manufacturer’s website to find out how long it will be supported for.

If you’d help finding well supported software or hardware options for your business or would like to discuss any other IT Support needs you might have please give us a call on 01245 265100 or email us at .