In recent news, it has been revealed that 3CX, a communication and collaboration software provider, was aware that their Windows app was flagged as malicious by Microsoft Defender yet the company took no action against it for seven days. After the lapse in time had passed, the company finally took the steps necessary to ensure the security of their customers.
The initial flagging came to light when Microsoft Security Essentials detected 3CX’s Windows software as a malicious file, notifying some of 3CX’s customer base. Afterward, the flagged file was reported and the company’s security team became aware that the file had been falsely identified as a potential threat. Despite that knowledge, 3CX took no action to correct the problem for seven days.
The company eventually declared that all customers should update their software immediately to ensure their safety and expressed regret for the incident. In their statement about the matter, 3CX apologized for the delay in their response and took full responsibility for their misstep.
For an established tech-savvy company such as 3CX this is a huge misstep in terms of security and customer trust. If a company cannot take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their customers, they risk losing customer confidence, as well as potentially suffering a financial and reputational hit.
Ultimately, this incident sheds light on the importance of security and privacy measures for companies, as well as the need for active and swift response times when issues arise. No company is immune to potential problems, but being quick and responsive helps to minimize the potential damage that can be caused if a problem is not dealt with in a timely fashion. For customers, it’s a reminder to remain vigilant and always update your software whenever possible.
