Keep It Fresh

Aug 9, 2018

Keep Your Devices Fresh Through Patches & Updates

Not another Windows update! We’ve all seen those pesky patch updates for computers, phones, and tablets. While they can be annoying, they play a HUGE role in protecting your devices, credit cards, and online identity. Cyber Smart Panthers keep their devices updated and fresh.

Why Should I Update My Device?

When you go online, your computer uses all of its protective safeguards to protect your data. Viruses, malware and rootkits are constantly searching the Internet for old, unpatched operating systems and apps so they can exploit a security flaw and gain entry. Patches fix these security flaws. As cyber threats change, software must be patched to protect you from the latest threat. Computers and the software they house require regular updates to ensure they run safely and efficiently!

“80% OF SUCCESSFUL CYBER ATTACKS USE VULNERABILITIES FOR WHICH A PATCH OR UPDATE ALREADY EXISTS.”

–Verizon Data Breaches Investigation Report

Where Do Patches Come From?

When a researcher, cybersecurity expert, or hobbyist discovers a new flaw, they typically alert the software developer. The developer will create a patch and send it out to fix the potential issue before hackers take advantage. This could be Microsoft, Google, Apple, or any software developer. That’s why it is important to keep all of your devices up-to-date with patches and updates.

WannaCry? Not Me, I’m Patched

In 2017, the WannaCry virus quickly infected over 300,000 computers around the world, using a leaked NSA exploit in Windows’ Server Message Block (SMB) networking protocol. Microsoft released the patch to prevent this vulnerability TWO MONTHS PRIOR to WannaCry! In other words, everyone with an updated computer was already vaccinated against WannaCry. If it wasn’t for finding a “kill switch” in the software, many more computers would have also been infected. Frequent patches and updates is an important part of cyber hygiene.

Want to learn more about keeping your device fresh? Check out this 10 minute video!