*This information is adapted from the National Cybersecurity Alliance

Updating software is one of the easiest way to keep yourself safe online. Software and app developers are constantly working to improve their products. This means not only providing new and constantly improving features, but also means keeping track of potential vulnerabilities and working to make their products as secure as possible. Good companies, and even smaller teams of developers, will release updates frequently to achieve this security. However, you can’t benefit from these updates if you don’t take the steps to update your software! Let’s go through some tips that will make sure you can easily get the most recent versions of all software you use, from your phone and laptops to the apps you use.
(N.B. If you’re not sure what software means, it basically is anything you use to interact with devices! This can mean anything from the building blocks of your phone like iOS to a specific app like Instagram to your broswer like Google Chrome. All of these things can and should be updated regularly!)

1. Turn on automatic updates

Most devices, app stores, and even specific apps will have a setting for automatic updates, so that updates will be downloaded and isntalled as soon as they are available from the creators. Sometimes you might have to restart your device to fully install these updates. It’s best to do this as immediately as possible, but you also can often schedule it to happen when you are likely not using your devices. It’s good to check these settings periodically to make sure that it’s working properly, but for the most part once you turn on automatic updates the device will do the work for you!

2. Get updates from the source

Before you download anything, you should check that you know the source it’s from and that it’s reliable, and this is especially true for updates. Only download software from verified sources, and apps from your device’s offical app store. Your device, software, or app developers should be the only person sending you updates. These are the only safe updates; others could be pirated, hacked, or unlicensed, and might have malware, viruses, or other cybersecurity risks.

3. Don’t fall for fake updates!

On that note, let’s talk about how to spot a fake update. Have you ever been on a website and seen a sketchy pop-up that insists you update your device? Those are what you need to avoid. These usually appear on less-than-reputable websites, or if your device already has malware on it. Never click on these pop-ups, especially any buttons or download links. Simply close the browser. Many browsers will also warn you if you’re trying to enter a sketchy website; listen to their warnings!

How else can you spot other types of fake updates? Well, the good news is that these are just another form of phishing, which you can read about on this page. That means you should follow the same protocol of not interacting, and can use many of the same strategies to spot it. Here’s a refresher on some important questions to ask if you suspect something is phishing:
– Is it stressing an urgency to click on a link or attachment?
– Does the link or attachment seem suspicious, like it might not actually be what it claims?
– Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
– Is it using language that’s urgent, alarming, or threatening?
– Is this a strangely timed or placed request (ex. you just updated your device, and it’s asking you to do so “again”)?

4. Make it a habit

It’s important you may updating your device, software, and apps a regular habit, especially if you don’t have automatic updates on. Often you’ll be notified if you have a new update available, but not always. While it can be annoying to check on updates, or to have to close all your programs and restart your device to update, it’s vital that you stay updated, especially if there’s an urgent security flaw. It’s best to check on updates monthly if you do not have automatic updates turned on, and even better weekly. And if you do have automatic updates, still check every once in a while just to be sure!

Just like you would update a password if it is compromised, it’s especially important to update after a vulnerability has been found or exploited. This will make sure you don’t fall victim to cybercriminals, so if you haven’t been convinced to update frequently already, think of it just like keeping your passwords safe!