What Are Software Updates?
Updates contain important fixes that address known weaknesses in software and apps. These weaknesses are also called vulnerabilities. If your software and apps are not up to date, you run the risk of allowing cyber criminals to find and use these vulnerabilities for their malicious intents. Cyber criminals could infect your devices with malware, steal your data and even take control of your devices.
Why Bother?
Conversely, promptly updating your software and apps limits the amount of time that cyber criminals have to find and use these vulnerabilities. At the same time, updates can also deliver bug fixes and improvements, as well as add new features to your software and apps.
Why Should We Care?
Do you use anti-virus software, endpoint protection or a proxy if you have children? How old is your operating system? All of those pieces of software open up your computer, and therefore your data, to cyberattacks, whether it is a minor infection or the hostage-taking Crypto Wall ransomware you have to pay to unlock. Either way, your information is more easily compromised or lost when updates are ignored. All of the anti-virus software in the world will do no good if it is out of date.
Take the 5 minutes and update your programs when it’s available. If you are not sure whether an update is legitimate, you can check the software publisher or app developer’s website to verify it.