From 9 July 2024, Microsoft SQL Server 2014 (installed by older Act! versions) becomes a serious risk to your business. Microsoft advises this must be removed to prevent cyber-attack, including data loss, financial theft, identity theft & ransomware (see Act! warning & article).
All Act! versions (like all Windows applications) use Microsoft components that are eventually discontinued by Microsoft when a better component was released, sometimes to remove a newly-discovered vulnerability, which will otherwise likely be exploited. Outdated software doesn’t just risk data loss in that one application, but risks everything on that computer, and more. Frequent updates from Act! include new & improved Microsoft components & other advances to improve performance, functionality & compatibility with Microsoft Office & other systems.
Why is it so critical this time? Microsoft SQL Server 2014 is a component of older Act! versions, which may still be installed on your computer, running your Act! database. In it’s 10-year lifespan, this product received an automatic update every 45 days (on average) from Microsoft to fix issues such as the one mentioned in this article that caused data-loss, backup failure & sync failure. From 9 July 2024, it will no longer receive further updates, leaving your data at risk, and potentially, the security of your computer (due to vulnerabilities like this one that continue to be discovered over time that would otherwise be fixed by automatic updates.
The Australian Government issued an alert in February 2022 for “organisations to urgently adopt an enhanced cyber security posture” (see www.cyber.gov.au), recommending patching applications & devices, adding multi-factor authentication & regular backups to cloud or external drive. In addition to this security update, we also offer cloud hosting from a local datacentre, automated backups & optional multi-factor authentication, as well as synchronisation with your computers if you prefer to use the Windows version of Act! over the web-browser version.
What do I do now? If you use Act! in a web browser only, you can ignore this notice. If you have any version of Act! installed on your computer, check the version in Help menu > About Act!. If you have Act! v26 or newer, ignore this notice.
If you have any version older than Act! v26, please contact us or your Act! consultant for assistance, or review this article to determine if you have Microsoft SQL 2014, and if so, arrange to update it or remove it as soon as possible.
Our team can assist if you wish for a small support fee (see www.acttoday.com.au/team to contact your local Act! consultant).
Why use our team for your Act! update/upgrade?
- Keep your Act! customisation working as desired, including add-ons, automation & integration.
- Secure your computers, by confirming updates actually applied successfully & configuring Act! services with least privileges needed.
- Boost Act! performance, via database maintenance & cleanup (if requested), especially if Act! takes you longer than 30 seconds to open.
- Confirm your Act! backup works by test restore of last backup (if requested).
- Add functionality by configuring the included web access, mobile access, e-marketing, Office integration, synchronisation, etc. (if requested), especially if you are paying for an alternate e-marketing service that Act! could replace at no extra cost.
Customers without an annual subscription will need to upgrade to a newer version to secure their system (see obsolescence policy www.act.com/obs), which requires a current subscription. While an upgrade may incur a cost, not upgrading could become far more costly (see independent reference here). Click the Act! Help menu > About Act! > to see which version you have.
The latest Act! version is now 64-bit, and includes enormous improvements in performance and Office integration, plus free marketing automation, saving you money on other e-marketing services (read more here). If you’re not on subscription, you may qualify for a discount if you start a subscription while promotional pricing is available.
If you have Act! v23.0 or older, please contact your consultant (www.acttoday.com.au/team), or our office via [email protected] or call 02 9431 2222 (AU) or 027 333 2005 (NZ) as soon as possible for a quote on an upgrade to suit your own customised solution.
Security is not only in the software, but the implementation, such as limiting the permissions given to an automated process. Take advantage of our vast experience to ensure a smooth & safe upgrade and reap the rewards of improved productivity and a happier team, plus your own peace of mind. This will be a busy period for us, so please book in early to avoid delay.
Important Note: Upgrades require an uninstall of multiple components of the previous version. We strongly recommend engaging a consultant to assist in the process. Act Today accepts no responsibility for self-installations. Please note that fees apply for any phone/email support you request if attempting to install the software yourself.
Want more from Act!? Check out these leading add-on products, or ask our expert Act! consultants about some extra training or advice.
Or move to the cloud with Act! CRM, or add our cloud hosting service to your existing subscription, improving access & backup, from $10 per user per month. Prices exclude GST.