Keeping your computer software up to date is more important than people realize. Yes, it can be a pain but let’s look at two reasons as to why it’s so essential. For one, hacking has become very sophisticated and they know how to attack software vulnerabilities, and two these criminals can cause you real harm: including legal, financial and even political harm. We’ll also give some simple steps you can take to protect yourself and your data.
Computer hacking is more advanced than people realize. Fake websites, instant messages, and phishing scams are just a few ways to install malicious software. The attackers have well thought out plans and are usually in your computer for months before something happens. Updating your software helps to remove bugs and fix security holes.
When it comes to a computer attack, it doesn’t take much to cause you legal or financial harm. Once your personal information is stolen (like your social security number), it can be sold on the dark web. From there bank accounts and credit cards can be opened using your name. Your money can get stolen and your credit ruined. If you own a small business, you can be sued if your customer or patient’s personal information is taken. This can completely tarnish your reputation. Protecting yourself from these threats starts with keeping your software up to date by installing software patches.
Here are some simple steps you can follow to keep your software applications up to date: (1) Conduct an audit to identify all your computing devices and don’t forget devices like smartphones and tablets. (2) Set all devices to update critical and security patches automatically. (3) Restart all devices periodically. We recommend restarting desktop and laptop computers daily, and all other devices no less than once per week. These restarts should automatically install any updates and patches that have been downloaded. (4) Sometimes updates and patches fail. If that happens, without delay have your IT consultant troubleshoot the problem and install the failed update and/or patch to protect your computers from known security holes. The small cost of having an IT professional correct any software update issues id dramatically less than the cost of getting hacked and experiencing a data breach.
Call to Action: If you need help with updates, the experienced and professional technicians at Cantrell’s Computer Sales & Services is more than happy to help. Contact us at 925-827-1200.
