PC Best Practice

by Dave Williams

System and Program Updates

This article deals with why and how you should update your PC.

Most updates that are required on your PC are for security and stability reasons; without them, your PC may be vulnerable to attack by hackers and spammers bent on gathering personal information and/or infecting PCs with viral programs.

It is important therefore to keep your PC up to date with the latest patches – these are usually evident by a pop up balloon on the taskbar. My advice is to always install the update unless previously advised not to do so.

Update message balloons will only appear if you already have the program installed so it is very unlikely to be anything sinister – if it is you are already infected!

Typically, the following software will send updates:

• Microsoft Windows

• Microsoft Office

• Adobe

• HP/Fujitsu/Toshiba – any of the major manufacturers

• Java

• Flash Player

You should install these, as they are trusted sources.

However, never run an update that has been advised via an email – this is most likely to be a virus even if it does say it’s from a company like Microsoft – if in doubt check the manufacturer’s website by using the help file in the program and not a link in the email. Personally, I would delete it.

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