Product Manager
On September 15th 2025, HIMSA released Noah 4.117, a modernized Noah System platform with several significant security enhancements as a focus.
“You may have noticed that the version is 4.117, not 4.17,” says Anders Nielsen, Product Manager at HIMSA. “This is no typo. This signals that fundamental changes have been made compared to previous Noah versions. The Noah 4.117 secure platform will serve as the future of Noah System and will continue to be maintained and modernized in the years to come.”
Despite significant changes under the hood, the Noah 4.117 interface will remain very familiar to Noah users.
“The many security changes in Noah 4.117 are changes and modernization of core Noah components and processes,” says Nielsen. “This means that Noah 4.117 will look and feel pretty much the same as earlier Noah versions.”
Needless to say, we highly recommend upgrading to this new version.
However, there are also important changes to be aware of before making the upgrade.
Modules designed for NOAH 3 are no longer supported
It is hard to imagine, but the first release of Noah 4 was over 14 years ago! Since the initial release in 2011, compatibility with NOAH 3 modules has always been considered a must.
However, times and requirements change.
“Today, security has a much more central role in all PC software,” says Nielsen. “These older modules rely on older components that are no longer supported by Microsoft and cannot live up to the increased security demands.”
That’s why modules designed for NOAH 3 are no longer able to open or install in Noah 4.117.
What about businesses who rely on one or more of these legacy Noah modules?
“You could, for example, consider using your NOAH 3 modules in standalone mode if they support it,” suggests Nielsen. “This would allow you to use these modules without compromising the security of your Noah database.”
Noah User and Password Changes
Similarly, the built-in ADM user account (with known password) is also considered a security issue. So when Noah 4.117 is installed the ADM account will be removed, unless the hearing care business has previously changed the default password.
Noah Windows Services
The two traditional background services have been the Noah Server Service and the Noah Client Service. With the release of Noah 4.117, the Noah Server Service will now run with reduced OS permissions to improve security, and a new Noah Server Util will be introduced.
If you ever restart Noah Services for troubleshooting purposes, remember to include all three services mentioned above.
Checklist Before You Upgrade
Please consider the following checklist items to help make your upgrade go smoothly.
Do you use a Noah compatible Business System in this list?
Check with your Business System supplier before installing Noah 4.117.
Do you rely on one or more of these legacy modules designed for NOAH 3?
Make a plan for how you will continue to support these modules before upgrading. Options could include:
- Using the modules in standalone mode if they support it
- Using an older PC that you maintain for other legacy devices and software needs
- Continuing to use Noah version 4.16 until it is no longer supported by HIMSA
Is your Noah System integrated with Microsoft SQL?
Installations upgrading to Noah 4.117 which make use of MS SQL will need to implement a configuration change after the Noah Server is upgraded. This change is necessary due to the Services Updated listed above.
HIMSA suggests that you read through the necessary changes here and become familiar with them before upgrading to Noah 4.117.
HIMSA