#Critical updates on laptop update#
#Critical updates on laptop upgrade#
#Critical updates on laptop software#

As Popular Science says, “all software goes to heaven.” Nothing lasts forever, even operating systems. When updating isn’t an optionĪnother inevitability of software: eventually, it is no longer supported by the manufacturer. And together, an up-to-date operating system and a powerful security solution will keep the bad guys at bay so you can surf safely. Sophos Home secures against the sorts of cyberattacks that prey upon unpatched or out-of-date operating systems.

#Critical updates on laptop update#

It’s worth noting that a strong cybersecurity solution can help keep you safe if you miss a patch or update to your existing software. It’s not as scary as vulnerability to a cyberattack, but it’s an annoyance that can be avoided, so why not update? Running outdated software may mean you’ll run into issues when that software tries to interact with, for example, files from a newer system that are unsupported by older systems. Often, these updates fix bugs that are slowing down your software or causing minor inconveniences you may not even be aware of (or, perhaps worse, you are aware of but may not know there’s a fix for). Here’s a reason to want to updates when the opportunity arises. Some of the biggest malware attacks in recent years have been as dangerous as they were because of unpatched/out-of-date software. Nearly 40% of adults don’t update their computers or mobile devices. But if you don’t update your device, that vulnerability still exists, and hackers know that many users are lackadaisical about updating. Companies know this and when they locate a weakness in their own system, they will update the operating system to close those weaknesses and shut down that avenue of attack.

Outdated software is a goldmine for hackers. Or even better, make sure you’ve set up your machine to update automatically. It’s this latter reason in particular why you should update your operating system as soon as possible when you’re alerted to do so. Sometimes they include enhancements or general improvements, but often, they fix dangerous bugs in the operating system, or even more important, patch vulnerabilities cyberattacks can take advantage of. These are issued for highly functional reasons. You may be comfortable with your existing operating system, or be working with a machine that doesn’t have the oomph to handle the latest upgrade. And for the most part, upgrades are not required.

#Critical updates on laptop upgrade#

Many Mac users, for example, like to wait a little while before upgrading, even if the upgrade is free, to make sure they’re ready for the changes it will include (or possibly to let other people experience any bugs first!). If you’re a Windows or Mac user, you’re probably familiar with the process when a new upgrade to your operating system becomes available.

Why staying up to date is so importantįirst and foremost, the thing to remember is that upgrades and updates are not the same thing. But there’s a reason our devices are so insistent we update our operating systems. It’s never a convenient time, so we click through and plan on doing it later. We’re all guilty of it – the pop-up window interrupts our work flow or online shopping telling us our system is out of date, asking if we’d like to restart our computer or laptop.