Do you update your computer regularly?  Surprisingly, many people don’t.  Whether you are using Windows, Macintosh, or Linux, it’s important to update your system often.  Every software vendor releases updates to their system, whether for compatibility or security reasons.  When one of these updates is released, it clues everyone into the fact that there may be a bug in the system, so it’s in your best interest to make sure you get that bug fixed before someone has a chance to use it against you.

For Windows users, if you are running Windows XP or later, you should be using Automatic Updates.  Automatic Updates is a feature that allows you to configure Windows to automatically download (and optionally install) any new security updates that Microsoft releases.  I personally have chosen to configure it to download the updates automatically and then prompt me when they are ready to install, so I can choose to install them at a convenient time.  You may also choose to have the updates downloaded and installed automatically, but that may cause you to lose data if you leave your computer with applications open and Windows tries to restart after applying the updates.

If you prefer to have more control over the updates Microsoft is sending your computer, you can choose to use the Windows Update site.  Here you can pick and choose what updates you want to install – but I recommend you install anything Microsoft considers a “Critical Update.”  You can also find updates that have nothing to do with security, such as new versions of Windows Media Player.  Windows Update is also the method you should use if you have an older version of Windows.

If you want to be even more comprehensive with your updates, go to Microsoft Update.  This site includes everything you get from Windows Update, but also adds updates to other Microsoft Applications besides Windows, such as Microsoft Office.  Don’t forget that any software, not just your operating system, can have problems, so be sure to update them as well.

Speaking of which, pay attention to what other applications are loaded on your computer.  Almost every computer has a Java client installed. Java is often the target of security researches, and consequently is updated frequently.  Fortunately, if you have a recent version of Java, it should prompt you to download and install the latest version whenever there is an update.

Your antivirus program is probably configured to download new virus definitions on a regular basis, but does it ever update the program itself?  Some do, but others require you to manually perform updates.  I will try to put together a post on the methods to update AV programs in the near future.

Well, this post ran a little longer than I expected it to, so I’ll have to give you the methods for updating Macintosh and Linux systems another day.  Hopefully this gives you a little more information on the methods to update your Windows System.