Your PC - Personal Security & Safeguards

Keep Software Up-to-Date

If you do only one thing to help protect the safety of your computing environment, always take prompt advantage of software updates. Updates—known as "fixes," "patches," "service packs," and "security rollup packages"—help to protect your computer and your personal data. Updates address exploitable flaws or introduce additional security features. For instance, the Microsoft® Outlook® E-mail Security Update helps Outlook users protect themselves from certain viruses, as well as helping to diminish the spread of viruses through Outlook.

Why Are There So Many Updates and Advisories?

Modern software systems involve incredibly complex engineering, but because they are made by human hands there will always be imperfections. Software "crackers" sometimes exploit those flaws. In other cases vulnerabilities occur because software developers didn't anticipate the possibility that someone would use a feature for malicious purposes. Responsible software vendors stay vigilant and, when a flaw is found in their products, build and release software fixes that restore the expected behavior.

Unless you already subscribe to automatic updates, chances are there is a software fix available for at least one product on your computer right now.

Most modern products also have built in update features - be sure that you have it turned on!  The automatic update feature in Microsoft Windows® XP and Windows ME provide the most convenient way to help protect your operating system.  If you use an older version of Windows, go to Windows Update and installed the Automatic Updater.

Checklist for Keeping Software Up-to-Date

The easiest way to keep up with patches is to take advantage of automatic update and notification services that many software publishers provide. If you're an experienced computer user, and wish to receive security information about Microsoft products, subscribe to the free Microsoft Security Notification Service.

It happens all too frequently that an update has been available to block an exploit, but software customers suffer harm because they have not applied the patch. To help reduce your vulnerability, install updates as quickly as you can. Failure to apply "fixes" can leave you exposed unnecessarily to loss or damage of personal files and data. (You DID back up your data this week, didn't you?

Which of the following software products do you already have a plan for getting your updates?

• Windows operating system
• Internet Explorer browser
• Microsoft Office applications (which produce files which can be shared or distributed)
• E-mail
• Antivirus
• Spyware Scanner
• Firewall

Help Protect Your Windows Operating System

Keep your Windows operating system and applications up-to-date with the latest patches and service packs:

• If you use Windows XP or Windows ME: Turn on the Windows automatic updates feature. Then, whenever you connect to the Internet, your computer can check the Windows Updates site for the latest Windows, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Microsoft Windows Media® Player, and selected updates and download them automatically for you. After they are downloaded, Windows XP requests your permission to install them. Choose to install them immediately—don't delay.
• If you use Windows 2000: Let Windows Update notify you of critical updates. Visit the Windows Update site and install Windows Critical Update Notification 3.0. Then, whenever you connect to the Internet, your computer will automatically notify you if new critical or security updates are available. If you get notified, go to Windows Update right away to help protect your security.
• If you use Windows95 or Windows98: Upgrade NOW!

Help protect your Microsoft Office applications

Get the latest updates for Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and other applications in the Microsoft Office family of products:

• Let Office Update site check your system automatically.
• The Outlook E-mail Security Update helps guard against viral attacks that travel within executable or high-risk attachments and also helps guard against worm attacks that replicate through Outlook.
• Use the Office Download Center to select individual updates.

Update one, update all

Software interactions are complex. When you upgrade or add new software to your system, it can cause unintended consequences to other programs. To help protect your security:

• Check for updates for the other applications you use. For all Microsoft products, check the Microsoft Download Center.
• Register your software to automatically receive software updates.
• Use Antivirus Software and Anti-Spyware Software.