Why do Software Updates Matter?
Keeping software up to date means you are protecting your devices (laptop, computer, phone, tablet) and personal information. It is the easiest and most reliable way to make sure you are staying safe online.
When a company releases a security update, it contains important additions to the software known as patches. These ‘patch’ the ‘holes’ in the software that cyber criminals could otherwise take advantage of to get inside your system. These ‘holes’ are called Vulnerabilities because when they are unpatched they leave your system vulnerable to a cyber attack. Having up to date software can prevent your system being vulnerable to malware or viruses by preventing cyber criminals from accessing your device in the first place as there are no unpatched ‘holes’ for them to get in through. Cyber criminals share details of vulnerabilities and how to exploit them on the dark web as soon as they are discovered.
Do not put off taking the time to properly update your devices.
Vulnerabilities are not put there by design, so there is rarely any reason that you would wait to install an update when it is released. To avoid needing to remember to update your devices regularly, you can turn on automatic updates, that will download and install the security updates for you as soon as they become available. If you haven’t noticed your work devices applying updates automatically you will need to talk to your IT support team to request they turn on automatic updates for you.
It is not just your work devices that you need to keep up to date. Personal devices contain lots of information you don’t want criminals to get their hands on, such as your bank details, and maybe even your work login credentials.
To update a Windows PC, open the Start (Windows) menu, then click Settings. For Windows 11 devices you will see the option Windows Update, but for Windows 10 you first need to click Update & Security, and then you will see the Windows Update option. You can also turn on automatic app updates in the Microsoft Store. First open the store through the Start menu, then in the Microsoft Store window click Settings. (In Windows 11 App Settings is found after first clicking Account.) Click App Updates then make sure automatic updates are set to On.
To update an Apple Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on some devices) by clicking the Apple logo in the top left of the screen, or by navigating to the System Settings/Preferences app through Finder. In System Settings, click General on the left menu to bring up the settings in the main window, then click Software Update. (In System Preferences the option Software Update is found on the first screen when opened.) If new software updates are available, click the button to install them. To turn on automatic updates tick the box at the bottom of the window next to “Automatically keep my Mac up to date”.
To update an iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app and tap General. You will then see the option to update your software and turn on automatic updates if you haven’t already. You will need to have your device plugged in to charge and connected to Wi-Fi in order to install any updates.
To update an Android device, open the Settings app and scroll down to tap System. Tap the option System update and follow the instructions on the screen. To turn on automatic updates you need to open the Google Play Store app. Open your Profile on the top right, then tap Settings. Tap Network preferences and choose Auto-update apps, following any further on-screen instructions to complete this process.
Sometimes device manufacturers and software developers will stop supporting older models of devices. This means that they will no longer release software updates with security patches. However, cyber criminals will continue to search for and take advantage of ‘holes’ in the security of the software in the form of vulnerabilities. Older, unsupported devices are easy to attack because any vulnerabilities the criminals find will never receive a security patch, so these devices are often targeted more then newer supported models. Unsupported devices are also known as ‘end-of-life’ models, because they have reached the end of them being safe and secure to use.
The most important thing you can do to protect yourself from cyber attacks is to always keep your device up to date, and never use end-of-life products.
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