Cybersecurity Awareness Month is celebrated each October as a way to promote safer use of internet technologies and services. Throughout the month, we will be publishing weekly articles about best practices for protecting your accounts. Each week will follow one of the official themes for Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2023. The theme for the final week is updating software.
We’ve all been there. You’re working on a project and there it is.
Updates are available.
Update Now or Remind Me Later
*Click*
“I don’t have time for this right now. Remind me later.”
Software updates – whether for application software or the computer’s operating system – are important to install. While some of them are updates to features or fixes for bugs that we’ve never experienced, many also include important fixes for security risks in the software. It is imperative that we keep our software up-to-date with all the latest updates and patches. Not only does this allow us to be using the latest and greatest features of the software, but it also prevents scammers, hackers, and other ne’er-do-wells from gaining unauthorized access to our systems, allowing malicious activity, such as identity theft or bank account access.
You can keep your software and computer updated with some simple steps.
- Pay attention to notifications – Our devices (computers, tablets, smartphones) will notify us when an updates are available. These updates are often for software, apps, or the operating system. It is important to install all updates, especially web browsers, operating systems, and antivirus software.
- Install updates as soon as possible – You should install updates as soon as we are notified. If you are in the middle of work and unable to stop immediately, set a reminder to run the updates as soon as you are finished. Hackers don’t work on your schedule. If you’re afraid of the amount of time an update might take, schedule time in your day to allow your device to update and work on tasks that don’t require that device.
- Turn on automatic updates – While most devices now have automatic updates turned on by default, there are still many that ask if you wish to turn it on. Always enable automatic updates. This ensures that you never miss important security fixes.
Computer Security Updates (iHelp)
More information from CISA on updating software
College-Issued Computers and Devices
Users of college-issued computers and devices will receive updates automatically to operating systems and software installed through our management systems. While these updates will allow you to “remind me later,” they will eventually require that you install them immediately. We recommend that you install these updates as soon as you are able to prevent the pushed install from happening at an inopportune moment.
Windows users may see notifications from “Providence College software distribution.” These are updates to managed applications.
Mac users may see that updates are required by their administrator. These are updates to applications and the operating system that are managed by IT.
If you have any questions or concerns about updates and their timing, please contact the IT Helpdesk at helpdesk@providence.edu.
