'Updates are available for your system.' That message, so often postponed, deserves your attention. Installing updates is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect your devices at the office.
Why update?
Every program contains vulnerabilities (flaws or 'bugs'). Cybercriminals exploit them to damage your devices, steal data or take control. When a flaw is discovered, the vendor fixes it — that is exactly what an update does. A single unpatched vulnerability can be enough for an attack, for example with ransomware. As a bonus, updates often bring new features too.
What should you update?
Everything, without exception:
- the operating system (Windows, macOS, Android, iOS);
- your programs and apps (browser, office suite, PDF readers…);
- your mobile devices, tablets and connected objects.
Also stay on a supported version: a system at end of life no longer receives security fixes. On a Mac, updates go through the App Store; on Windows, some tools can check for you which programs need updating.
Turn on automatic updates
The safest approach is to automate everything. On Windows, updates download and install automatically; to check manually, open Start > Settings > Windows Update. You can't disable them entirely, but you can pause them temporarily and set 'active hours' so your PC doesn't restart at a bad moment. Feature updates arrive about once a year; quality updates are monthly and smaller. Browsers update themselves, and shutting your computer down each evening lets patches install at startup.
Practical tips
The restart needed to finish an update can be scheduled for a convenient time. Keep a laptop or tablet plugged in when you are not using it, so the installation can complete outside your working hours. If you are short on disk space, delete files you don't need or move them to OneDrive or an external drive. On a metered connection, some updates won't install automatically, and the update history shows you which updates are already installed.
A habit that pays off
Stop putting those update notifications off: each patch closes a door that cybercriminals are trying to open. A few minutes of attention are enough to keep your devices — and the company's data — well protected.