Most of us look at that update notification from our devices and think, “I’ll do that later.” When we finally get around to it, there are multiple updates that have been sitting there for weeks. We continue with this behavior because nothing has happened to me yet. In order to change those behaviors, let’s begin to think of updates like you would your car insurance. If you waited to cover yourself, that fender-bender might have cost you a LOT more in the long run.
Just like car insurance, updates help protect you stay proactive before something bad happens. Hackers are constantly changing their techniques at trying to access your devices and ultimately your personal information. Vendors work tirelessly to counteract these vulnerabilities with updates for your computer and other devices. The only way to ensure that these vulnerabilities are patched is to keep your operating system and your installed software up to date.
Patches not only block known hacking methods, they can also contain new features that make the operating system and installed software more user friendly or useful. For example, Microsoft just released updates for Windows 10 that include Timeline and Focus Assist. Timeline lets you pick up where you left off, whether you are just browsing or for business purposes up to 5 days. Focus Assist allows you block notifications and alerts so you can focus on your work.
There are many reasons to keep your devices updated. The most important is knowing that you are making yourself significantly less vulnerable to attacks. However, for some companies, not being up-to-date could mean you are not following your compliance obligations. If you take credit cards and are a medical office, bank, police department, or investment firm you may also be required by your regulating authority to keep your systems updated patch history for up to one year.
For more information on how to update your system, check out the links below:
For more information on how to prevent getting hacked, check out our previously posted article The Ping: How to Avoid Getting Hacked. And as always, if you need any assistance, feel free to give us a call at 512-832-6209 or email us at [email protected].
Your UniVista Team
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