Your Operating System is Slowing You Down
Unable to access email on your phone? Check your operating system is still supported.
Earlier this month, Microsoft increased its minimum OS requirements to install Outlook and Teams on iOS devices. Earlier this year, IASME (the governing body of Cyber Essentials Standards) also updated its minimum OS requirements for mobiles.
Why did they do this and what does it mean?
Like everything else in the world of tech, hardware and software providers support their products for a period of time - they may release new features and fix bugs, but importantly, they provide security patches to address vulnerabilities, as they are discovered.
But nothing lasts forever, and to varying degrees, mobile devices will eventually reach a point when they are no longer able to upgrade, and the existing OS version stops being supported by the vendor.
Once support is dropped, your device will stop getting new features, and application developers (like Microsoft) may stop offering their apps to older OSes. Critically, the device will also stop receiving important security patches, and will become vulnerable!
iOS Devices
If your device can run iOS 16 or 17, good news - Apple are providing regular updates to keep you secure.
If your device is running iOS 15 but not capable of upgrade, Apple are sporadically providing patches for critical issues here - but we wouldn't expect this to last for long (We're talking iPhone 7 and earlier - released in 2016, it's had a good run!)
Also - if you don't already have it, you will no longer be able to install Teams or Outlook on these older devices!
Android Devices
If your phone or tablet is running Android 12, 13 or 14, the good news is that you're still offered security updates.
Google dropped support for Android 11 in February, so if your device is running this (or earlier!), it is vulnerable.
How can Nitec help?
If you've ever engaged with the consultants here at Nitec, you'll have no doubt heard about the 'Journey to Modern'. You may have joined us on this journey already - if so, we can make some minor amendments to your existing policies and align them with the current Cyber Essentials requirements.
If this is new to you, let us help by implementing baselines so that your organisation's data is never accessed on a device that is unsupported!
Patches matter because they fix known flaws in products that attackers can use to compromise your devices. New security features make it harder for attackers to successfully compromise your devices.
Stay up to date and let us help to ensure that everyone at your organisation does the same by contacting our consultancy team at solutions@nitec.com.