{"id":326,"date":"2023-10-24T05:12:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T05:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.messiah.edu\/csblog\/?p=326"},"modified":"2023-10-24T15:56:24","modified_gmt":"2023-10-24T15:56:24","slug":"week-4-update-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.messiah.edu\/csblog\/week-4-update-software\/","title":{"rendered":"Update Like a Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome to the final week of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023! We hope you enjoyed our posts on top ways to increase password security<\/a>, your guide to MFA<\/a>, and how to not give in to phishing<\/a>. This week we’re talking about how software updates can help you and your family stay safe online. Read on and spread the word!<\/em> \ud83d\ude4c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think twice before putting off updates! <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Many people might select \u201cRemind me later\u201d when they see an update alert. However, many software updates are created to fix security risks. Keeping software up to date is an easy way for us to stay safer online. To make updates even more convenient, turn on the automatic updates in the device\u2019s or application\u2019s security settings.

Keep Software Up to Date with Three Simple Steps<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Watch for notifications<\/strong>
Our devices will usually notify us that we need to run updates. This includes our devices\u2019 operating systems, programs and apps. It\u2019s important to install ALL updates, especially for our web browsers and antivirus software. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Install updates as soon as possible<\/strong>
When notified about software updates, especially critical updates, we should be sure to install them as soon as possible. Malicious online criminals won\u2019t wait, so we shouldn\u2019t either!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Turn on automatic updates<\/strong>
With automatic updates, our devices will install updates without any input from us as soon as the update is available\u2014Easy!
To turn on the automatic updates feature, look in the device\u2019s settings, possibly under Software or Security. Search settings for \u201cautomatic updates\u201d if needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why It\u2019s So Important to Update Promptly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\ud83d\udc49If a criminal gets into our devices through a security flaw, they will look for sensitive information to exploit. Technology providers issue software updates to “patch\u201d security weak spots as quickly as they can. If we don\u2019t install them, they can\u2019t protect us.
Software updates can also:
\u2022 Fix bugs
\u2022 Improve performance
\u2022 Add features that can enhance our experience

To round out this month’s focus, here’s a family hard at work putting into practice some of the tips we’ve been talking about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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