About UAB IT UAB IT Guidance Statement #IT348 - Legacy Operating Systems Recommendations
May 9, 2013
Purpose
Computer systems running vendor-unsupported or end-of-life operating systems are potential security threats to the UAB campus network. Vendors do not provide security patches for unsupported systems, and these unpatched systems can be exploited by attackers. Such exploitations can result in disrupted experiments, corrupted research data and/or completely compromised systems. UABIT reserves the right to disconnect these computers from the campus network to mitigate this data breach risk (see UAB’s Acceptable Use of Computer and Network Resources policy). UAB system administrators are responsible for maintaining the security of all information systems, per the campus Data Protection and Security Policy, which includes updating applications and operating systems.
Windows XP will not be supported after April 2014. Windows versions prior to Windows XP and any version of Mac OS X prior to version 10.6 should be considered unsupported.
Scope
The information in this guidance statement applies to all constituents internal to UAB.
Guidance
We recommend that systems running legacy, unsupported operating systems should not be used. They should be disconnected from the network because of the significant security risk to the university’s network and environment. If the device is critical and cannot be turned off or disconnected, the device should be physically isolated from the university network. If disconnection and/or isolation are not possible, then an exemption and risk acceptance form will need to be completed, signed by the appropriate dean or vice president, and filed with Enterprise Information Security.
Unsupported legacy operating systems:
Windows Family
Windows 95/98/ME
Windows 2000
Windows 2003
Windows XP after April 8, 2014
Mac OS X Family
Mac OS 9.x
OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
OS X 10.4 (Tiger)
OS X 10.3 (Panther)
OS X 10.2 (Jaguar)
Linux Distributions
Ubuntu 11.10 after May 9, 2013
Ubuntu 11.04 and Prior
Ubuntu 10.04.4 LTS
Debian 5.0 (lenny)
Debian 4.0 (etch)
Debian 3.1 (sarge)
Debian 3.0 (woody)
Other Unix OS
AIX prior to 6.1
Solaris prior to 9 (SunOS 5.9)
Questions can be directed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or, by calling (205) 975-0842.
References
http://sppublic.ad.uab.edu/policies/pages/LibraryDetail.aspx?pID=38
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifeselect
http://www.debian.org/releases/
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases
http://www-01.ibm.com/software/support/aix/lifecycle/index.html
http://www.sun.com/service/eosl/eosl_solaris.html
