Tackling the legacy application challenge

Summary

This webinar, hosted by Macro4, addresses the challenges of managing data security in legacy applications. It highlights the risks of non-compliance with regulations like GDPR, the incompatibility with modern security mechanisms, and the lack of security patches. The discussion includes strategies for identifying at-risk applications, the importance of data security, and a case study on successfully decommissioning a legacy application in the financial sector. The session also explores the role of Columbus, Macro4's solution for secure data management and migration, emphasizing the benefits of consolidating data into a single, secure repository.

Takeaways

• 🔒 Data Security is Crucial: Legacy applications may pose a security risk to businesses due to outdated security measures that could be non-compliant with regulations like GDPR.
• 📈 Webinar Series: This is the first of three webinars focusing on managing data in legacy applications, covering compliance, business risk, and increasing business efficiency.
• 🚫 Incompatibility with Modern Security: Legacy applications might be incompatible with modern security mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• 🛡️ Patching Vulnerabilities: Older applications may lack available patches to fix security vulnerabilities or have slower rollouts due to lower priority.
• 📚 Importance of Data Security: Data security is distinct from application security and involves ensuring the protection of sensitive personal identifiable information (PII).
• 🏦 Case Study Insight: A successful legacy application decommissioning process in the financial sector highlighted the benefits of moving to a more secure system like Columbus.
• 🔍 Identify Risky Applications: The first step in managing legacy applications is identifying those that do not meet current security requirements.
• 🗑️ Decommissioning Strategy: Consider whether data should be migrated, deleted, or archived when planning to decommission legacy applications.
• 🔗 Link with Existing Security: Columbus can integrate with existing security infrastructures like Active Directory to maintain consistent access controls.
• 🌐 Cloud Migration Considerations: Moving legacy applications to the cloud does not inherently resolve security issues; instead, use secure solutions like Columbus for cloud migration.
• 📈 Long-Term Data Repository: Columbus offers a safe, long-term repository for data with ongoing development support and the ability to meet regulatory compliance.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the webinar series presented by Macro4?

The webinar series focuses on the challenges of managing data in legacy applications, covering topics such as data security, compliance and business risk, and increasing business efficiency through decommissioning legacy applications.

Why can older legacy applications pose a risk to a business?

Older legacy applications can pose a risk due to potential lack of security, non-compliance with regulations like GDPR, incompatibility with modern security mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication, and slow or unavailable patches for security vulnerabilities.

What is the importance of data security in the context of legacy applications?

Data security is crucial because it protects sensitive personal identifiable information (PII) and business-critical data from unauthorized access and breaches, ensuring compliance with regulations and minimizing business risk.

How does the lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA) in legacy applications impact security?

The absence of MFA in legacy applications can make them more vulnerable to unauthorized access, as it lacks an additional layer of security that verifies the user's identity through multiple means.

What is the role of Macro4 in helping organizations manage legacy application data?

Macro4 assists organizations by providing a secure repository for legacy application data, helping to identify and decommission legacy applications that pose security risks, and ensuring that data remains accessible and compliant with regulations.

Can you provide an example of a successful legacy application decommissioning process?

The case study of a large UK banking organization that acquired a competitor and had duplicate systems is an example. Macro4 helped them migrate the previous year's financials into their financial package and decommission the old system, providing enhanced security controls and data management.

What are some of the key questions an organization should ask when assessing the security of their legacy applications?

Key questions include whether the data is secure in existing applications, the ability to enforce security policies, providing secure access to data in unsupported legacy applications, and the capability to control access levels to sensitive data.

How can an organization make a business case for moving data from legacy applications to a secure solution?

A business case can be made by identifying the risks associated with legacy applications, demonstrating the benefits of improved data security and compliance, and showing the potential for cost savings and increased efficiency.

What is the significance of integrating a SAML capable ID management solution with Columbus for enhanced security?

Integrating a SAML capable ID management solution with Columbus allows for the implementation of multi-factor authentication, combining the security strengths of both systems to provide a more robust defense against unauthorized access.

Can access to different applications within Columbus be restricted based on user roles or groups?

Yes, Columbus can link with existing Active Directory groups, allowing for role-based access control to different applications within the system, mirroring the access controls of the legacy applications being decommissioned.

What are the benefits of moving legacy applications into Columbus and then to the cloud?

Moving legacy applications into Columbus and then to the cloud centralizes data management, enhances security through modern security practices, reduces reliance on scarce IT skills for maintenance, and helps in retiring applications while reducing business risk.