Software updates are sort of like exercise: Not everyone thinks about it, but everyone needs it, and they can make a big difference in keeping a system healthy. Let’s take a quick minute to talk about updates.
Updates help keep a piece of software or a system current. Because new threats are being developed all the time, manufacturers will send out fixes and updates to help protect their users from new threats — or just from problems they didn’t find when the software was first made. If you don't download and apply the update to fix the problem, you're basically leaving a door open to attack.
You take a big step in protecting your system when you’re smart about updates. Here are some tips:
- Always update the big three. That’s your security software, your web browser, and your operating system. Those three are absolutely critical for keeping you and your information safe!
- Enable auto-update and check your programs’ Settings; the option is usually in there to automatically download new updates whenever one’s available.
- Even better - subscribe to the campus-wide Berkeley Desktop standard, which automatically keeps desktop software up-to-date.
For more info about keeping on top of your updates, check out our infographic. ->