IT services experts in West Palm Beach commonly provide technology solutions in the form of upgrades, maintenance, and support. The institution and dissemination of varying patches are becoming increasingly necessary in modern times. Two issues compromising Windows computers today that require corrective patches are Meltdown and Spectre. Both of those sound like the names of some espionage thriller, starring everybody's favorite "MI6" agent. But in reality, they're errors influencing how CPUs work. All Windows-based CPUs since 1995 are affected by these potential bugs. Check this site for a comprehensive list of affected systems, and see if any OS you're currently operating is in jeopardy.
What happens is, applications operating on the listed operating systems will make unsupported calls or requests from a means of data classification and categorization called "kernel memory". This initiates what is colloquially called the "blue screen of death". You've likely experienced this phenomenon while using your own private computer. And while it can be a real pain to deal with, it's generally manageable: you ensure you back everything up, and you reboot when the blue screen of death forces you to. But if this happens on your professional network, it could seriously impact operations in a way that ends up costing you extensively. An IT services provider in West Palm Beach can help defray this potential operational hazard through what's known as patching.
Patching And Consequences
If you apply patches that automatically update your security and operational protocols at regular intervals, you can avoid being undermined by certain built-in flaws like Spectre and Meltdown--flaws inherent to most systems but unknown for nearly 23 years. Sometimes not acting will induce negative consequences, and that's the case with patches.
If you don't have a system of regular patch protocols in place, you're likely to see your systems seriously undermined. Just consider 2017's WannaCry ransomware attack. This utilized something that was built-in to Windows operating systems as well. It was a backdoor originally designed for purposes of surveillance by the NSA. As soon as cybercriminals found out about it, they designed a ransomware virus. The backdoor was made public in March 2017, and by May, this virus was launched. It was so pernicious that it ultimately ended up compromising computers in over 150 countries.
Now, computers with automatic patching solutions didn't experience any difficulty. Those who didn't have such protections in place, however, experienced some very tangible fallout. It's the same situation with Spectre and Meltdown. Only recently were these vulnerabilities made public, so as yet, no cybercriminals have designed a means of exploiting them for gain. But that juncture is just around the corner. Applying patch solutions to overcome these known errors is essential to operational security.
Securing Your Business Against Built-In Weakness
IT services in West Palm Beach through Nexxen Technologies can help you maintain the security of operations through patching as well as other vetted security techniques. Contact us for a comprehensive suite of cutting-edge technology services.