Cyber Security Awareness Month 2025: Legacy Systems
At FUJIFILM IT Services, we’re proud to support the Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Security Awareness Month – a national campaign encouraging organisations to strengthen their defences and build resilience. Week 2 focuses on legacy technology.
Every organisation has technology that has stood the test of time – but when systems remain in use long after vendor support ends, they stop being assets and start becoming vulnerabilities. Legacy technology includes everything from outdated servers and unsupported operating systems to applications no longer receiving security patches. While these systems often still run critical business processes, the security risks grow with every passing year.¹
The risks are wide-ranging:
Unpatched vulnerabilities: Without security updates, flaws remain exposed and exploitable.¹
Integration barriers: Older systems often can’t connect with modern security tools, leaving blind spots.
Escalating costs: Maintaining outdated systems typically requires manual processes or niche expertise.
Compliance concerns: Unsupported platforms may no longer meet regulatory obligations or industry standards.
These risks aren’t theoretical. Attackers routinely target outdated systems because they know vulnerabilities are well-documented — and unlikely to be fixed. Breaches linked to legacy technology can have cascading impacts, from operational downtime to data loss and reputational damage.
The ACSC stresses that replacing legacy systems is one of the most effective ways to reduce cyber risk.¹ Yet immediate replacement isn’t always realistic for organisations with budget or operational constraints. That’s why interim strategies are crucial. These may include:
- Isolation: Segregating legacy systems on the network to reduce exposure.
- Compensating controls: Strengthening security with monitoring, multi-factor authentication, and strict access management.
- Planned modernisation: Establishing a roadmap for upgrades aligned to business priorities.
At FUJIFILM IT Services, we partner with organisations to tackle legacy risk without disrupting daily operations. Through comprehensive IT assessments, risk prioritisation, and practical transition plans, we help organisations secure today’s critical services while preparing for tomorrow’s innovation.
Legacy technology doesn’t need to be a permanent weakness. With the right strategies in place, businesses can continue to operate with confidence, knowing they’re on a secure path to modernisation.
1 Australian Cyber Security Centre (2025) Cyber Security Awareness Month. Available at: https://www.cyber.gov.au/business-government/cyber-security-awareness-month