Windows Updates

Update Windows Monthly, on 2nd Thursday of the month

Note: Although Microsoft Windows 10 claims updates are fully automatic, they often have issues that prevent them from installing! You must make sure they are installed. Take control and do it yourself.

Microsoft Windows (All versions) has a LOT of programs that use the Internet. During a day you may have 25 or more “programs” sending and receiving data over the Internet. Many of these programs are found to have “vulnerabilities,” weak places in their computer code that will allow a hacker to break into the program and infect your PC! As Microsoft writes or updates programs, new vulnerabilities are discovered. These are not viruses and therefore Avira does NOT protect you from them! Microsoft has software that provides updates. You MUST update Windows monthly.

Note: Microsoft updates Windows on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We wait 2 days!

1. On the Thursday after the 2nd Tuesday, click the Start button.
2. Next click on the Update & Security icon.
3. Click the Check for updates button if no updates are showing.
4. Click Restart now if / when you see the button.

Windows 10 will begin installing only the updates they need to install (Important). There is no way to skip ones you don’t want. Optional updates will be labeled and should not automatically install. I do NOT recommend installing Optional Updates.

Microsoft Windows 10 Feature updates are released twice a year. Each feature update is given a 4-digit number. For example: 1903. The 19 stands for the year and 03 stands for the month it was released. Microsoft will service Feature updates with monthly quality updates for 18 months after the date of the release. This means NO Updates after 18-months if you don’t download and install Feature releases.

Note: You must also update Adobe Reader, Flash player, iTunes, QuickBooks, Quicken and all other programs you have downloaded and/or purchased. Hackers break into all of them. If the manufacturer of the program notifies you of an update please put it in. Look in my blog www.pcbitsnews.com for news and instructions on these updates.

Your Computer is full of Holes!

ALL Software has holes in it. We call these holes Bugs! When a bug threatens the security of your computer, it is called a vulnerability. Microsoft Windows® and Microsoft Office® (all versions) have a LOT of programs that use the Internet. Many more than you imagine. Many of these programs have “vulnerabilities”, weak places in their code that allow a hacker to break into the program and take over your computer!

As time goes by; new vulnerabilities are discovered — most often by hackers. These vulnerabilities are not viruses and therefore your antivirus software does NOT protect you from them! When a vulnerability is discovered, Microsoft updates its software. It does this by publishing an Update. Another word for this is a patch. A patch that fixes a vulnerability is called a Critical Update. Did you hear about the Conficker worm? Microsoft fixed the vulnerability that allowed this attack with a Critical Update BEFORE the worm was written!

Microsoft® has web sites that update its products. You MUST update all Microsoft software on your computer monthly! This means downloading and installing all Updates. When you visit each Update Web site, the site scans your computer and tells you what updates apply. You choose the updates that you want to download and install.

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