Why are Software Updates Important?

In today’s age of internet connectivity, data privacy has dominantly become a priority for businesses as well as individual users. Antivirus software doesn’t only protect you from malicious programs, it also protects your personal files from being held up, destroyed or stolen by villainous individuals or entities. The frightening event of the widespread data breach in recent years has exposed a lot of loopholes of data privacy systems in the industry and has called for to incorporate stringent and robust anti-virus software in all computers, businesses and individuals alike.

There are a lot of Antivirus software in the market, but a few stand out because of their performance and effectiveness. Both Bitdefender and McAfee provide top-notch antivirus solutions and holds a greater share of the market. But having an Antivirus software installed is not enough, we also have to do our part to keep it up-to-date and install new patches to improve protection. We regularly receive notifications to download and install some updates for our Anti-virus software. If you're one of those people who'll ignore that until your computer becomes vulnerable to attacks then you'll only have to blame yourself.

There are a lot of Antivirus software in the market, but a few stand out because of their performance and effectiveness. Both Bitdefender and McAfee provide top-notch antivirus solutions and holds a greater share of the market. But having an Antivirus software installed is not enough, we also have to do our part to keep it up-to-date and install new patches to improve protection. We regularly receive notifications to download and install some updates for our Anti-virus software. If you’re one of those people who’ll ignore that until your computer becomes vulnerable to attacks then you’ll only have to blame yourself.

Here are some very motivating reasons to update your software:

1. Combat the rising trend of Cybercrime

Cyber criminals aim to infect as many computer systems as possible. They develop hundreds of malicious programs every day to infiltrate current protection protocols. This means that with that increasing intent to attack your computer and steal or destroy your data, more updates are made to deter these attacks. If you fail to update your software with the latest patch you are vulnerable to the new malware that criminals develop every day.

1. Protect other computer systems

Most of us are connected to the internet through our computers. It is a fact, malware can be introduced to your computer through internet usage. The worm that has infected your computer can quickly spread to other systems because of your connectivity and cause damage on a larger scale. Antivirus software providers also cope rapidly once a malware is detected, so the simple remedy to prevent your entire system from being corrupted by cyber criminals is to update your software.

1. Prevent system vulnerabilities

Hackers usually conceal their targeted malware to attack system vulnerabilities in the most inconspicuous items. You can be targeted even if you just unsuspiciously open an email or play an online media. An example is the recent 2016 ransomware attacks where they used social media to spread and contaminate a great number of computers. The malware automatically downloads an apparent image file and when accessed it installs the malware that takes hold of the computer for ransom. They exploit these weaknesses and it’s your antivirus software’s role to protect you from these types of attacks. If your software is not updated then it may not be able to recognize the malware that has already infected your computer and you will be vulnerable to its effects.

1. Protect your Personal Data

Your personal data like bank accounts, social security numbers, passwords, email addresses, etc. are valuable to cyber criminals and those are what they are after most of the time. These criminals take advantage of the information they have acquired through their malware to do more cyber crimes like fraud and it’ll be done in your name. It will really be a very big headache if you’ll get a bill for a brand new car that you didn’t purchase or have suddenly found out that your credit card has been maxed out.

These types of attacks also extend to the data inside your hard drive such as about your family. They may get information about your children’s school and their itineraries, and this will leave your children, vulnerable to unwanted tracking. These criminals will also hold your personal data for ransom and if you don’t pay then you’ll lose all your precious personal files.

All these attacks are real and are already happening and keeping your software up-to-date is one of the major deterrents for these crimes. Procrastinating the updates will leave you and your loved ones vulnerable, so even if it’s a bother to always keep your antivirus updated it must always be done.

We live in troubled times, even on the internet, but we don’t have to fall victim to cybercrime. Our responsibility to keep ourselves and loved ones safe also extends to the protection of the information about them that we keep on our computer. Updating your software is one of the tasks that befall to the user to implement and monitor.