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Cybersecurity – Update Your Software

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Overview

  • October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is “See yourself in Cyber.” The idea behind this theme is to highlight how, even though cybersecurity can often be seen as a complicated subject, it all boils down to people. By practising Cybersecurity basics like “Update Your Software”, each of us can do our part to combat the risks of cyber attacks.

Update Your Software

According to the IBM Cost of Data Breach Report 2022, attacks from vulnerabilities in third-party software account for 13% of stolen or compromised credentials and have an average cost of $4.5 million. Stolen or compromised credentials are by far the most common type of data breach and take the longest time for cybersecurity experts to identify. One of the ways that you can protect yourself and your business is to regularly ‘Update Your Software.’

Software is Everywhere

Software runs just about everything in the modern world; the computers we use to complete our work, the websites we visit, the applications on our phones, the cars and buses we ride, and even the money we keep in the bank depend on software.

An abstract image of a hooded hacker holding a laptop in one hand, and holding up the other hand.

Cyber attackers are constantly looking for ways to infiltrate software through vulnerabilities, and as a result, developers have to fix their software through updates. The responsibility for updating software lies with site administrators and often the end users. Unfortunately, many view these updates as an annoyance or hindrance and delay them, often indefinitely.

Licensed Software

Make sure that you only use licensed software from the company responsible for creating it. Attackers often insert malware into pirated software before distributing it online, so from a security standpoint, it is best to avoid unlicensed software altogether.

Automatic Updates

Most licensed software companies allow users to automatically update their software when an update becomes available and send reminders via email or, more commonly, via notifications. Wherever possible, it is always a good idea to enable automatic updates or set reminders for yourself if you cannot.

A laptop on a desk, open on a software update screen.

What You Can Do

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommends the following:

“Update Your Software: Don’t delay — If you see a software update notification, act promptly. Better yet, turn on automatic updates.”

Although it’s a relatively simple step, regularly updating your software is a powerful way to ensure you and your company remain secure against cyberattacks.

The Importance of Software Updates CERTNZ

Glossary

  • Cybersecurity — The practice of protecting critical systems and sensitive information from digital attacks. IBM

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