Cyber Security Awareness Month: Update Often!
Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in unpatched software. One of the easiest ways to keep your information secure is by making sure your software and apps are up-to-date. These updates fix general software problems and provide new security patches where criminals might get in. When new software updates come out to the public, it allows everyone, especially hackers, to learn about those weaknesses and take advantage of them. Public knowledge of those holes leaves you and your organization as easy prey.
Please Note: When downloading a software update, only get it from the company that created it. Hacked, pirated or unlicensed software versions often contain malware and cause more problems than they solve.
Ask the IT professional at your organization how to turn on automatic updates. When there’s an update available, it will give you a reminder so that you can easily start the process!
In the case of the January 2022 Red Cross breach you may have heard about, they did not install an update fast enough, giving hackers access to over 500,000 people’s data. This is just one example of many malicious software attacks that happen in real life, every day.
