You may often hear us talk about updating your devices. But do you know why you should do it and how?
As vulnerabilities are discovered, software developers will push out patches or updates that, when installed, will fix those vulnerabilities (i.e., patch the holes). However, it is up to you, the user, to install them.
For your desktop or laptop, you should make it a weekly habit (at a minimum) to go into your settings, click “Update & Security”, check for updates and install them. This usually requires you to restart your computer. While some updates may take longer than others, the time it times is obviously much less, and cheaper than recovering from an attack.
For your phone (iPhone), go to settings, then general, then look for “software update”.
Most devices will allow you to set up automatic updates so the device will check for them periodically, on a schedule you may be able to set – even in the middle of the night. However, it is also a good practice to stay aware of any “off-schedule” updates that require immediate attention.