Unpatched and Vulnerable

Windows XP and Server 2012:

Ostra’s solution keeps unpatched systems safe.

 

Two years after WannaCry crippled computer systems across the globe there are still nearly 1.7 million unpatched exposed endpoints. More than 400,000 of these vulnerable devices are in businesses, industrial control networks and hospitals across the United States. Stolen NSA hacking tools used to propagate the WannaCry attack pose an ongoing threat to these vulnerable systems, and the potentially millions of devices connected to those systems. Ostra’s Security Systems prevents this threat exposure.

Reasons these systems have gone unpatched for two years involve logistics, risk, and platform dependency. Many industrial control settings run large scale physical processes 24/7 so interrupting operations to test and install patches is difficult or impossible. In healthcare settings the unknown effects patching on complex systems introduces risk to patient care. And many proprietary systems across all sectors may not be compatible with newer Windows products, forcing the ongoing use of vulnerable legacy operating systems such as Windows XP and Windows Server 2012 R2.

The NSA hacking tools are still at large and continue to deliver damage to unprotected systems. The cryptocurrency “WannaMine” attack and the Atlanta ransomware attack are high profile cases of cybercrime which used NSA exploits on systems that remained vulnerable long after the WannaCry wake up call.

In the post-WannaCry era, business, industry and healthcare entities knew their systems were vulnerable but had limited options to protect them. Ostra has changed that. Unpatched systems can be protected without the accompanying logistical, risk, and platform dependency struggles. Ostra’s Enterprise Grade Security Solution protects exposed endpoints without patching, allowing older systems to safely operate in peace.