Still Using Visual FoxPro? Lock It Down with Encryption

TL;DR: Ever wonder what happened to Visual FoxPro? Turns out, it’s still alive and kicking for thousands of businesses and government agencies, even though Microsoft stopped supporting it ages ago!

These applications, written with VFP, were developed at a time when the cybersecurity threat was not as great as it is in today’s modern world.
Data in these legacy applications is vulnerable to theft and abuse, and yet upgrading or rewriting these applications is costly.
But you can work to meet modern security and compliance standards with data-at-rest encryption, without requiring a complete application overhaul.

Visual FoxPro (VFP) may have reached its end-of-life years ago, but it hasn’t disappeared. From government agencies to small businesses, many organizations continue to rely on VFP applications to power essential functions, often because these legacy systems are deeply embedded into critical workflows.

While the platform still performs well for many of its users, the security landscape around it has changed dramatically. Systems developed in the 1990s or early 2000s weren’t built with today’s threat environment in mind, and relying on them without proper safeguards, especially data encryption, poses serious risks.

Let’s take a closer look at what Visual FoxPro is, why it still matters in 2025, where VFP’s biggest security blind spots lie, and how you can continue to operate legacy applications securely without a full system rewrite.

What Is Visual FoxPro?

Visual FoxPro is a robust, object-oriented programming language and data-centric database management system (DBMS) originally developed by Fox Software and later acquired by Microsoft. Built for creating desktop and web-based database applications, VFP gained popularity for its flexibility and performance. Although Microsoft discontinued official support long ago, many organizations continue to rely on it for critical legacy systems.

Who Is Still Using Visual FoxPro Today?

Despite its sunset status, Visual FoxPro remains surprisingly active across a range of industries. According to market intelligence platform Enlyft, over 5,400 companies worldwide still use Microsoft Visual FoxPro in 2025.

Here’s what the data shows:

Top industries include Information Technology and Services, Computer Software, and Government Administration.
Typical company size: Small to mid-sized businesses (10–50 employees is the most common).
Geographic distribution: Most users are based in the United States, followed by India and Canada.
Use cases: Commonly used in internal tools, legacy ERP systems, inventory management, and customer data platforms.

The takeaway? If you’re still running a Visual FoxPro-based application, you’re far from alone. Many organizations continue to rely on these systems for critical workflows, and their primary challenge isn’t functionality – it’s security.

Why Visual FoxPro Still Has a Place

There’s a reason so many organizations have held onto VFP-based applications:

Cost of modernization: Rewriting or migrating an application with years of custom business logic can be expensive, time-consuming, and risky.
Stability and reliability: For some organizations, the system continues to “just work.” The “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” adage holds strong sway in resource constrained environments.
Niche requirements: VFP applications often handle specialized business processes that newer off-the-shelf systems can’t easily replicate.

But running an application simply because it’s still functional doesn’t mean it meets today’s security and compliance standards.

The Security Risk of Legacy Systems

Legacy applications like those built on VFP were developed before cybersecurity was a front-and-center priority. As a result, they often lack modern safeguards like:

Encryption of data at rest
VFP apps typically store data in local or shared database files, which can be easily accessed if stolen, leaked, or improperly backed up.
Access controls and audit logs
Without integrated identity management or logging, detecting unauthorized access is extremely difficult.
Compatibility with modern security software
Legacy operating systems that support VFP may not be compatible with today’s endpoint security tools or receive regular patches.

The result? These systems often become low-hanging fruit for cybercriminals, especially in ransomware attacks or insider threat scenarios.

Why Encrypting Data at Rest Is Critical

One of the simplest and most effective steps organizations can take to harden legacy systems is implementing data at rest encryption. Encrypting stored data ensures that even if a device is stolen or accessed without authorization, the data itself remains unreadable.

For Visual FoxPro users, this can be a challenge. Traditional encryption tools may not support the underlying OS, file format, or application logic.

How NetLib Security Supports Visual FoxPro Systems

At NetLib Security, we understand that many organizations can’t migrate away from Visual FoxPro but that doesn’t mean they should accept unnecessary risk. Our Encryptionizer platform provides modern encryption for legacy systems, including those built on VFP.

Compatibility: Supports legacy Windows platforms such as Windows 7 or Win 2008 R2 still used to run older apps.
Minimal disruption: Deploy encryption without rewriting your application or modifying business processes.
Regulatory alignment: Helps meet some of the data security standards like HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA even on legacy platforms.

Our encryption layers directly over your data files or databases, offering transparent encryption that secures sensitive data without requiring code changes or degrading application performance.

Compliance Doesn’t Exempt Legacy Systems

One of the biggest misconceptions around legacy systems is the belief that they’re somehow exempt from modern compliance requirements. They’re not. Whether it’s HIPAA in healthcare, PCI DSS in finance, or GDPR in the EU, the age of your system does not reduce your responsibility to protect sensitive data.

In fact, legacy systems can make audits more difficult due to a lack of built-in logging, versioning, and encryption. If a breach occurs, it can be much harder to prove compliance, raising potential fines and reputational damage.

Implementing data-at-rest encryption is a proactive step that both protects your data and supports your regulatory posture.

Keep VFP Running, But Lock It Down

If you’re still running Visual FoxPro in 2025, you’re not alone and you’re not necessarily doing anything wrong. But you do need to ensure that your data is protected in line with modern expectations.

Data-at-rest encryption offers a way to secure what’s working without disrupting critical operations. With the right tools, like NetLib Security’s Encryptionizer for FoxPro, you can extend the useful life of Visual FoxPro applications while reducing security risks and gain some breathing room while planning future modernization.

Need to secure your VFP system without rewriting it?

Learn how Encryptionizer for FoxPro helps protect legacy VFP applications with simple, effective data-at-rest encryption. No coding changes required!

About NetLib Security

NetLib Security has spent more than 20 years developing a powerful, patented solution that starts by setting up a formidable offense for every environment where your data resides: physical, virtual and cloud. Our platform simplifies the process while ensuring high levels of security.

Simplify your data security needs. Encryptionizer is easy to deploy. It’s a cost-effective way to proactively and transparently protect your sensitive data that allows you to quickly and confidently meet your security requirements. With budget considerations in mind, we have designed an affordable data security platform that protects, manages, and defends your data, while responding to the ever changing compliance requirements. No coding changes required.

Data breaches are expensive. Security does not have to be.

NetLib Security works with government agencies, healthcare organizations, small to large enterprises, financial services, credit card processors, distributors, and resellers to provide a flexible data security solution that meets their evolving needs. To learn more or request a free evaluation visit us at www.netlibsecurity.com.