Java dominates the development marketplace. An estimated 16% of all applications leverage the coding language, which currently tops the TIOBE Index. However, Java also ranks among the most breach-prone digital dialects as a consequence of unchecked open-source codebase sharing and modification. Researchers for Veracode recently estimated that almost 88% of all Java applications contain at least one major vulnerability. This unfortunate reality has played out in public over the last couple years. From the September 2017 Equifax breach that exposed the personal information of more than 145 million Americans to the September 2018 attack on Facebook that imperiled 50 million users, Java's structural flaws have been openly laid bare on multiple occasions. Ineffective patching is typically the root cause of large-scale Java breaches such as these but what if mending porous code is not enough?
"What if mending porous code is not enough?"
This is the question Forbes Technology Council member Mike Hamilton recently posed in an article for the online publication. Hamilton acknowledged that software patching could prevent some breaches — he specifically mentioned the Equifax breach, which unfolded because information technology personnel failed to install a Java update that had been available for months — but contended that these code fixes were sometimes difficult to execute and could cause technical problems. For instance, system shutdown is always a possible outcome of manual Java patching. Hamilton suggested that organizations move away from Java and switch to easier-to-manage code architecture that requires minimal updating.
Embracing transformative backend change
The prospect of coordinating such a sea change might make some business leaders anxious — and for good reason. Companies navigating even the simplest technological optimizations encounter budget-busting problems. However, the cost of maintaining systems with hidden vulnerabilities is often far larger. In fact, the average enterprise paid $3.9 per data breach in 2018, according to researchers at IBM and The Ponemon Institute. And large organizations like Equifax, which recently agreed to a $425 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission for the 2017 incident, stand to lose a lot more. This is why an estimated 89% of organizations are embarking on digital transformation efforts, per the International Data Group.
Finding a reliable IT transformation partner
Uprooting and swapping existing Java infrastructure is no easy task. This is why enterprises pursuing this technical sea change must pinpoint capable external partners with the services and solutions needed to execute the such an evolution. Here at the Inventu Corporation, we lend organizations of all sizes the support they need through our innovative terminal emulation tool, the Flynet Viewer. This solution allows IT departments to develop reliable software using clean HTML and JavaScript on secure Windows servers. The Flynet Viewer supports streamlined IT modernization and meets employer and staff expectations in a way that feels both familiar and simple.
Connect with us today to learn more about our product catalog and how we can help your business trade Java for something more secure.
