Keeping Your Computer Up To Date
Why It's Important
All computer programs, including the computer's operating system (Windows, Mac OS, Linux), have flaws (bugs) in them. Many computer worms and viruses use these flaws to spread to other computers and, hackers can use these flaws to break into and take over your computer. Correcting these flaws is just as important as running a good anti-virus scanner.
What You Can Do About It
To help keep you and your computer safe while connected to the internet, keep your computer's operating system and the other programs you use up to date with the latest security updates. Most suppliers of computer programs, including Microsoft and Apple, release updated versions of their programs on a regular basis to correct the flaws that have been discovered in their programs. Both the Windows operating system and the Mac OSX operating system provide mechanisms for keeping your computer operating system up to date with the latest security updates. These can either be run manually by hand or they can be configured to run automatically. Other makers of computer programs also update their programs on a regular basis. Some programs automatically check for updates but many do not.
