Zombie Technology: It’s Still Working. But Is It Still Secure?

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is about more than protecting the technology we use today. It’s about building better cybersecurity habits for whatever comes next.

And sometimes that starts by looking at what’s been sitting in the office for years.

A CEO we know had an old printer in his office.

It wasn’t the fastest printer. It certainly wasn’t the newest. But it was reliable, and he kept it for one important reason:

Security.

When he printed something confidential, he didn’t want it sitting on a shared office printer where another employee might see it or accidentally pick it up. His old printer gave him control over sensitive documents.

There was just one problem.

While the CEO was thinking about who could see the paper coming out of the printer, nobody was thinking about the printer itself. It was connected to the network.

Like many modern printers, it wasn’t simply a machine that put ink on paper. It was a connected device with software and firmware. And eventually, technology like that can reach the end of its manufacturer’s support.

The printer was still alive.

Its security support might not have been. Welcome to zombie technology.

Yesterday’s Technology Can Become Tomorrow’s Risk

Cybersecurity makes us think about computers, passwords and email.

But look around your business.

Security cameras. Printers. Wi-Fi routers. Access-control systems. Smart televisions. Point-of-sale equipment. Sensors.

Many are essentially small computers connected to a larger network. And some may have been there for years.

When a vulnerability is discovered in a supported product, the manufacturer may release an update to address it.

Once support ends, those security updates may end too.

That’s why CISA includes replacing end-of-support devices as part of its cybersecurity resilience guidance.

Securing Our World Starts With Knowing What’s In It

That doesn’t mean every old device belongs in the technology graveyard.It means businesses need to know what they have.

Ask: What devices are connected to our network? Are security updates available? Who is responsible for maintaining them?

Your IT or cybersecurity provider can help determine whether older technology should be updated, isolated, have its connectivity restricted or ultimately be replaced.

But first, someone needs to know it’s there.

That’s the larger lesson from that CEO’s printer.

His concern about protecting confidential information wasn’t wrong.

But solving yesterday’s security problem doesn’t necessarily protect you from tomorrow’s.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month reminds us that securing our world isn’t a one-time project. Technology will continue to change. New devices will appear. Old devices will remain. And the risks surrounding both will continue to evolve.

uRISQ helps SMBs take a structured approach to identifying cybersecurity risks, understanding priorities and determining what deserves attention over time.

So, for this week’s Click or Treat? challenge, take a walk around your business.

Find the printer nobody wants to replace. The old camera that still works. The forgotten device in the back office.

Then ask:

Is it still supported—or is yesterday’s technology becoming tomorrow’s cybersecurity zombie?

Because securing our world for the future starts with understanding what’s connected to it today.