On-premise Microsoft Exchange poses serious security risk

If you’re still operating on-premise Microsoft Exchange you’re highly likely to be running serious security risks for your organisation.

It’s high time you moved to an online cloud solution. That’s not just our opinion, but one of experts throughout the industry.

Why are on-premise servers a no-no?

Most recently, and notably, Microsoft has been accused of inattention to fixes for security bugs on Microsoft Exchange servers, which has highlighted the urgent need for organisations to move, sooner rather than later, to a cloud-based solution, including, but not limited to Exchange Online.

Bugs make it impossible to keep hackers out

Described as “a plague of bugs” that make it near-impossible to keep hackers out, the industry opinion of MS Exchange has swung to being one of serious concern for those organisations still running it, which includes government departments and public bodies.

Microsoft’s recommendation to migrate to cloud

When the corporate vice president of the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) was asked to comment on MS Exchange security issues, there was reference made to the list of measures to mitigate risks and harden on-premise servers to cyberattacks, however the advice from the corporate vice president was still that customers should move to their cloud-based email service Exchange Online.

“We strongly recommend customers migrate to the cloud to take advantage of real-time security and instant updates to help keep their systems protected from the latest threats,” said Aanchal Gupta.

In Aanchal Gupta’s blog she talks about the traditional means of security updates to servers, and the advantages that security updates for cloud services have, namely that there is nothing for customers to do. “When we address a vulnerability in the cloud, it is fixed for every user at once.”

On-premise servers becoming ‘legacy’ technology

When Microsoft recommended customers disable legacy authentication – which means the outdated and unsupported features, with no alternative proposed, this was taken as a sign by the industry that Microsoft now considers on-premise Exchange a legacy product.  
Microsoft’s recommendation suggests a ‘winding down’ of the support for the on-premise tech meaning that organisations insisting on their continued running of on-premise Exchange are running severe risks to their infrastructure and ability to operate safely and securely in the, potentially, near future, or even at all, depending on how vulnerable they become to attack.

On-premise servers used to be secure and reliable – those days are gone

While it used to be reasonable to run your own email server, particularly if you were conscious of security and privacy, and having that degree of control, nowadays it isn’t. It is more recommended to relieve yourself of the security burden presented by managing your own server, by using a cloud service.

Control can be a liability

If Microsoft themselves are recommending a move to a cloud-based service, indicating their own potential winding down of resource to on-premise Exchange, the control that organisations once valued could end up turning into a serious liability.

Are you convinced about moving to cloud yet?

Even knowing Microsoft exchange servers are a highly visible target for hackers, it’s hard to see how anyone serious about future-proofing their business could remain unconvinced about moving to the cloud.

Stay with on-premise Microsoft Exchange at your peril, is the message. The industry agrees that the only watchwords now associated with this outmoded tech are endless vulnerabilities, slow patching and widespread hacking targets.

It’s easy to move to the cloud

We can help you migrate to Exchange Online straight away, or another enterprise-class cloud service, for your business, or large or small organisation.

Get in touch with our cloud experts today.

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