Why keep software up to date
Security experts and hackers discover new security flaws in software all the time. Manufacturers update their software to fix all the security weaknesses they know about. You need these updates to remain protected.
Configure your computers and devices to check for updates on a daily basis. Some updates require you to reboot to ensure the security features are updated.
Keep your computers and devices reasonably up to date too
Manufacturers eventually withdraw support for their old operating systems. When support is withdrawn, it's time to update your operating system (or time to buy a new device).
How to keep it up to date
If you manage the configuration of your computer yourself, for example if it's your own computer or is not one of the University's desktop configurations, you have to take responsibility to keep it up to date yourself.
- Windows 10 PCs
- Go via the Windows button into the settings mens/update menu and youi can find the options listed under security.
- Apple Macs
- These normally will tell you whenever an update is available. To check manually, select the [Apple menu] then [Software Update ...]
- Linux
- There are lots of types of Linux in use. We suggest you do an internet search of "how to update" and add your variant of Linux to the search. Choose the method that you find works best for you.
- Smartphones
- Make sure you know how to update the system software. Most of devices provide user-friendly methods for this. Make "ease of update" as one of your selection criteria when choosing such devices.
Fully supported computers are updated automatically
Centrally supported computers, and LCFG Linux computers are kept up to date automatically for you.
But you need to take responsibility yourself to keep any self-managed computers (usually laptops), smartphones, and the computers that are not centrally configured, up to date.