With the Windows 7 "End of Life" policy looming, BrevAll Technologies is helping small to mid-sized businesses (SMBs) transition away from the operating system and protect their organizations from the heightened threat of cyberattacks.

Microsoft announced that beginning in January 2020, it will cease to offer extended support for Windows 7. This means Microsoft will no longer update Windows 7 or its security features, rendering the software effectively obsolete, and putting businesses that continue to use it in a vulnerable position.

"Cybercriminals are constantly inventing new methods and techniques to exploit weak infrastructure," warned Paul Enloe, CEO of BrevAll Technologies. "Businesses that don't adapt to the Windows 7 'End of Life' policy and bring in technology that can keep pace with the ever-evolving security threats they face will eventually become a sitting duck for cyberattacks."

Enloe predicts the majority of Windows 7 users will migrate to the cloud, which will actually drive their total costs down, since the cloud provides enhanced security capabilities that greatly reduce the need for ad-hoc security features. Still, history shows that many businesses will treat this matter with a troubling lack of urgency. They will ignore the problem until they're affected by it, and only then take measures to improve their security. This is a dangerous strategy given the potential consequences of deficient infrastructure.

According to Time Magazine, the Equifax breach cost the company over $4 billion. While SMBs couldn't absorb losses like that, the fear of harsh fines and penalties should be incentive enough to act expeditiously, said Enloe.

"The key to a successful transition is starting early because transitions such as this take time," he advised. "Unfortunately, businesses who decide not to act will be extremely susceptible to cyberattacks, precisely because Windows 7 is obsolete technology and it may be too late. The time is now to enhance your security infrastructure and mitigate the risks that cripple many businesses."