But, to take advantage of software changes, such as in operating systems, vendors may require users to update hardware also. Often, hardware can be at most two or three years old to run new operating systems. Military hardware that is 10 years old is not uncommon, Backman reports. Users need to know what operating system a computer is running and what software release can fix the problem. The year 2000 problem creates security concerns also, according to Backman.
Many system administrators turn system passwords on and off.
For example, access might be denied to certain users on weekends. By inverting time comparisons, the problem could deny access to legitimate users while allowing access to hackers. This administrative example highlights a type of problem that could be very serious, Backman states.