We all get them. Those alerts to update your Windows operating system or software applications always seem to happen at the most inconvenient time. Maybe you’ve got to send that quick email first or write up that report? Often, you’ll probably put off downloading the latest updates for your computer until the next day, week, or even month.
It may seem tempting to delay downloading update software, but failing to do so leaves you open to huge security risks. For the business owner, the importance of this can’t be emphasised enough.
Read on to find out exactly why software updates are important.
Hackers and cyber criminals are more active than ever
The main reason anyone has for downloading and installing the latest update is to stay protected from security threats. Older software will continue to have the same bugs and exploitable holes in the code that allow hackers and cyber criminals to get up to good. This is made even more serious by the fact that all of these exploitable entry points have generally been made public after the release of updates.
As quickly as software providers find ways to fix exploitable holes in their software, hackers have found new ones. It’s a never-ending game of cat and mouse that software companies are caught up in with cyber criminals in order to protect their consumers. Don’t put your computer systems at risk by failing to utilise the latest software update or you may live to regret it.
Your documents are at risk without the latest updates
When you consider how nearly everything is stored digitally in this day and age, your documents suddenly seem far more at risk than ever before. Certain malware can actually wipe your documents as well as transmit it from your computer to a remote server.
The Sony Pictures hack in 2014 clearly highlights the severity of these kinds of attacks. Confidential information, including private employee information, salary information and unreleased movies were stolen before being released onto the web. In addition to this, a sophisticated malware then erased Sony’s computer infrastructure.
More recently, WannaCry and ransomware style malware have been holding personal and company documents hostage until a payment has been received. Making sure you update operating systems and update software can help to mitigate the risk you’ll face from these kinds of threats.
Your automatic updates may have been disabled
Believe it or not, but hackers do have the ability to turn off your antivirus software remotely. Additionally, you could face an inside attack and have your antivirus software turned off manually. This could end up being extremely serious as it would mean hackers and cyber criminals have easier access to your computer while also having the ability to roam freely. This is a great motivational reason to check for the latest updates as you’ll always have peace of mind when it comes to this type of attack.
You could pass on malware to friends and colleagues if your computer is infected
While the heyday of email viruses has come, and gone, there is still a prevailing risk that you should be aware of. Viruses can quickly spread via private and work email networks, USBs, flash drives, and removable hard drives, making outbreaks spread quickly. Installing the latest update software for your operating system and antivirus program will allow you to get real-time alerts when you receive dangerous files, emails, and attachments. Depending on the severity of the attack, you could save yourself some explaining as well as any costs for damages.