Pub. 1 2019-2020 Issue 3

14 A Cybersecurity Perfect Storm Is Coming Erik Nachbahr, CISSP, Founder & CEO Helion Technologies A perfect storm occurs when two or more nega- tive events collide. For California auto dealers, that perfect storm arrives in January 2020. The two events are the End of Life for Windows 7 and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). On their own, each of these events require attention and action — but the fact these events are occurring at the same time means that dealers need to immediately prioritize both. Why the urgency? If you still have computers running the Windows 7 operating system, your dealership will be highly vulnerable to attacks from cybercriminals. But here's the kicker: whether or not your dealership suf- fers a security breach is irrelevant. If you're still running Windows 7 in January, your dealership will be in violation of the CCPA, a new consumer privacy law that mandates certain protections for consumer data. Windows 7 End of Life Most dealers still use Microsoft Windows 7, an operat- ing system that was released in 2009. As of January 14, 2020, Microsoft will end support for Windows 7. This means that no more software updates will be released by Microsoft and continued use of Windows 7 will become a security vulnerability that you can bet will be exploited by cybercriminals. Applying software updates, also known as patching, is one of the most important security measures you can take to protect your dealership. Software patches also add new features and push updates to device drivers. In addition to being a security risk, no more patching ensures that Windows 7 will quickly become incompatible with newer devices and software applications. When Microsoft retired Windows XP in 2014, it only took a couple months for cybercriminals to develop dangerous exploits such as malware and viruses that specifically tar- geted businesses running Windows XP. If your dealership continues to use Windows 7, you're putting your business in imminent danger of falling victim to cybercrime. Windows 7 should be replaced with the Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10 is a major advancement for Microsoft since it’s designed to leverage the cloud and offers more security than its predecessors. Windows 10 includes features designed to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and their constantly changing approaches to penetrate an organization’s defenses. The Domino Effect Unfortunately, upgrading your operating systems isn't as simple as installing new software. In most dealerships that I've seen, the computers running Windows 7 are almost as old as Windows 7 itself. In order to upgrade to Windows 10, you'll also have to upgrade your PCs. Older PCs simply do not have the processing speed necessary to run Windows 10, let alone all your other software applications.