Software updates are cybersecurity's unsung hero

Key Takeaways

This week in cybersecurity awareness month focuses on software updates. It is the least glamourous of all, but very important. 

Some updates are automatic and some are not. Most likely, your county technology department has put in place automatic software updates that keep staff computers and software applications protected. You may ask why this is important and why you shouldn’t delay on accepting the update if given the choice, but computer viruses evolve and change every day, which means that software applications must receive regular updates in response.

As I noted earlier, it is important to not delay these updates. But sometimes you have the option, such as on devices like your mobile phone. The longer you delay the update, the greater your chances are for having your identity and information compromised. 

But not all update notifications are equal. You also need to be wary of any email that you receive which asks you to “click here” to download new updates for your software application or your computer. The question to ask is whether this is the normal process that the county IT department follows in applying updates. You need to be sure you know the source of the email before downloading any type of updated requested through that means. This is true as well when you are browsing the internet. If you get a message saying, “your computer software is out of date and you need to click here and install this update,” DON’T DO IT! The chances are high that this type of email contains malware or a virus that will be installed on your computer.

Beyond the county-maintained devices, here are options for protecting your personal devices. These links come directly from the manufacturer and provide directions on how to keep your mobile and connected devices up to date.

Mobile Devices:

• Android

• Chrome OS

• Apple

• Samsung

• Windows

Connected Devices:

• Amazon devices (Fire Tablets, Kindle E-readers, Alexa Devices, Fire TV)

• Apple Watch

• Fitbit devices