Hidden Issues at Tech Firm
After uncovering hidden sabotage in their software, we were able to help this firm remove and update their codebase and stabilize their IT environment.
A Sudden IT Challenge
A mid-sized firm approached us with an urgent IT issue. Their only IT manager had resigned abruptly, leaving no documentation or transition plan. The company’s systems were a mix of commercial software, custom-built apps, and outdated legacy systems, which the former manager alone had been maintaining. Without support, their IT environment was at serious risk of failure.
Initial Steps: Assessing the Situation
We started by cataloging their systems, applications, and hardware. This process was challenging due to the complexity of their unusual setup, taking over a month to fully map. During this phase, we encountered aging hardware, fragmented storage systems nearing capacity, and fragile custom applications that were prone to errors with even minor changes.
Uncovering Hidden Issues
During our review, one custom application unexpectedly stopped working. After investigating, we discovered a hidden timer in the program’s code that was designed to make it stop functioning after a certain date. Further analysis revealed similar timers in other applications. Remote access backdoors were also uncovered in some systems. While these issues required careful handling, (e.g. we had not yet located the source-code for the applications with “fuses” and had to find and disable them using debugging tools and hex-editing the binaries), they were all resolved without significant disruption.
Stabilizing and Modernizing
Once the immediate risks were mitigated, we focused on creating a stable and manageable IT environment:
- **Infrastructure Updates:** We replaced critical hardware with modern, reliable systems and implemented cost-effective redundancies where possible.
- **Software Improvements:** Fragile custom applications were either re-engineered for stability or documented for future maintenance.
- **Documentation:** We created detailed records of all systems and processes, including an internal wiki, better code comments, process flow diagrams etc; whatever was necessary toensure knowledge wasn’t lost again.
- **Monitoring and Maintenance:** We set up tools to monitor system performance and established regular audits to proactively address issues.
A Positive Outcome
With these changes, the company’s IT environment became stable and well-documented, allowing them to focus on their business without the constant threat of system failures. Downtime was minimal, no data was lost, and their systems were significantly improved for long-term reliability.
This experience highlights the importance of having a clear IT management strategy and thorough documentation!
