What are computer updates?

Computer updates are upgrading your computer software and the software on your computer. 

Why should we keep our computer software up to date?

Criminals use vulnerabilities in software to gain access to your data which they can use to commit fraud or extortion. Vulnerabilities in software exist because software is not perfect, developers make mistakes, or code designed for one use is distorted and used for another. Keeping every software updated gives you better security on your device. 

Software providers make updates to your software to fix things like bugs and improve the software security. As a result, as new versions arise, software providers stop supporting old versions leaving your device vulnerable to cyber attacks. 

What will happen if you do not update your computer software?

If you do not update software as recommended, software vendors will not help you if you call them with a problem. Also, as your software gets increasingly outdated, criminals have more time to discover and exploit vulnerabilities. As a result, the risks that criminals will gain access increases over time, and unsupported software is more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. 

How can I make sure I update my computer with automation?

Most people do not have time to install computer updates during their busy working days. Sometimes updates are installed automatically by companies such as Microsoft, but this system is not very reliable. So, IT companies can use software to apply and monitor critical updates via automation to protect your computers from the latest known attacks. Automation frees your time, keeps your network safe from cyber attacks and keeps your IT costs low. 

Can a computer update without the internet or in sleep mode?

Automated software can wake your computer automatically and install updates overnight or when your computer is less used.

Other Benefits of computer updates

• Updates can provide new features that make the software easier to use, make it faster and do things that it did not do before.
• Updates can also make the software more reliable. Sometimes software fails, crashes or fails to accomplish its tasks. If software vendors become aware of this, they can release an update to fix the problem.

For more information about how to keep your computer and software up to date, contact Northstar today.