Regularly Check For and Apply Security Updates


Why bother doing this?  The time interval between the release of a software or operating system update to correct a vulnerability and the appearance of malware that exploits that vulnerability is constantly shrinking: a few years ago it was measured in weeks, now it is measured in days, and soon it may be measured in just hours.


Ensure security updates for your operating systems and applications are up-to-date and are regularly updated.


Most major software companies release updates which address security, performance, and usability issues.

  Generally, these should be applied to your computers soon after they are made available:  most malicious software ("malware") exploit vulnerabilities that are already known and for which patches or updates have already been released.


Ensure that you are getting your updates from a trusted source.

  Exercise extreme care when clicking on a link received via email:  this may take you to a bogus update site rather than to the legitimate vendor site.  Carefully compare the text of the URL in the email with the URL that appears when you hover the mouse over the link, or if that is not possible, attempt to copy the link and paste it into a text editor so that you can examine the URL address before actually connecting to the site.

  Do not install an "update" received as an attachment to an email:  reputable software vendors rarely distribute their updates in this manner, and Microsoft never distributes updates as email attachments.

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