I Do Updates, and Why

Update regularly. It is your primary defense against losing data, getting attacked and having your identity stolen, or worse. I believe many people do not update their computers because “it changes things.” Yes, that is true and sometimes it creates a time suck to fix those issues. That is because the operating system updates require the programs you run to also be updated to work properly.

I wrote a book called “I Don’t Do Updates, but you should“; a humorous look at the reasons and steps to updates from Windows Programs and Microsoft and Adobe software. I explain the problems that occur when you do not do regular updates. As a computer consultant, I see damage to computer data several times a month. Many of these occurrences could have been prevented. Updates are one way.

In the News today Spectre and Meltdown, two attacks are being discussed. This time it is not going to attack software, it is using a ‘vulnerability’ in the hardware of the computer. This time it is also not just Windows-based computers, but Apple and Smartphones also. This will affect you if you do not get the protection of the updates your provider sens to you. Try not to ignore them this time. In an article about Spectre, this quote says it all. “Spectre attacks involve inducing a victim to speculatively perform operations that would not occur during correct program execution and which leak the victim’s confidential information via a side channel to the adversary.”

Update regularly. The companies that know of the vulnerability are fighting it through updates to your systems. You get software update notifications on your PC and your phone. Follow the lead and stay safe!