Software Updates

Software updates can be very frustrating at times but are definitely a requirement of computing.

Have you ever been using your computer or device and you experience a popup saying “a software update is available”, as you are busy and know it will take time just skip it and never get round to installing the update? The chances are that software update has security patches which are essential.

A lot of software updates make it extremely easy to skip them yet some only take a few minutes and others will actually install whilst rebooting your computer or turning it off at the end of the day. That’s as long as you switch off your computer rather than telling it to go to sleep which we see quite a lot. This is one of the reasons we see computers missing updates from over 6 months ago. Failing to keep your software up to date leaves a door wide open for hackers to access your private information, this puts you at risk of identity theft, loss of money, credit card and other serious issues.

If you struggle knowing what to do with updates or how to switch off your computer you can contact us on our website or via facebook for advice.

Going back a few years there was the Equifax data breach which some of you may or may not have known about. 143 million Americans were potentially affected as there social security numbers, home addresses and date of births were exposed. There software was not kept up to date which left a door open for hackers to access the credit reporting agency’s data through a vulnerable web application. The developers actually created a fix for this issue two months before the breach meaning it could have been avoided completely if the software was kept up to date. This is one example of why it’s essential to keep your computers upto date and the credit reporting agency definitely learned a big lesson here.

Another term mentioned within computing is Malware. Out of date software/programs are one easy way malware can attack your computer, the main ones being your windows or browser programs (google chrome, microsoft edge, mozzila firefox for example). These often have regular updates and shouldn’t be viewed as a nuisance but something that is essential and should be done promptly.

When it comes to updates on your computer it’s not just the security side of things to consider but enhancement features and more stability/compatitability across your devices. These types of updates often help programmes run smoother, more reliably and can actually remove old outdated features that have been replaced or no longer needed within the software. This can be frustrating when you open a certain program and they request an update to be carried out but the long term benefit for a few minutes of your time now is definetely worth it.

When updating on your computer you often have to give the program permission to do the update. However it’s much easier on your mobile devices as most of them are done with the auto-update feature and will perform those software updates in the background often without you even knowing they are being done. Considering on average the mobile user uses 30 apps a month and has atleast twice that on there devices this feature saves you a lot of time.

So now you know why it is important to keep your devices up to date here are a few extra tips:

• Select auto-update for your programmes on your devices where possible. If it is not possible it’s definitely worth making it a habit to check for updates regularly manually. If you get stuck feel free to contact us
• Before downloading & installing any software check for reviews. A lot of software out there appears to benefit your computer but it does the opposite and often asks you to pay for extra features or to carry on using the software after so many days.
• It is CRITICAL to keep your security software up to date! Without it being updated the software will not be able to detect the latest threats
• Keep on top of the latest threats to enable you to protect yourself and your computer. If you follow us on facebook we post regularly and will post up threats as soon as we are aware

If you are concerned regarding your computers age and/or software updates feel free to contact us for advice & support.