Windows Update

Windows Update is a key feature in order to maintain your computer security, if your computer uses a Windows operating system. Windows Update has been created by Microsoft, in order to protect Windows users from the threat of critical vulnerabilities discovered into its software, every day. It is a known fact that any piece of software does contain bugs, and the Windows operating systems are no exception from that. The likelihood of existence of critical vulnerabilities inside a program depends directly on the amount of code involved and complexity of the software. Therefore, due to the huge size and complexity of an operating system, it is almost clear that it only takes time until new bugs and critical vulnerabilities are discovered into a Windows operating system. When that happens, the best way to protect yourself from the effect of such critical vulnerabilities is to use Windows Update.

Basically, what happens is that Microsoft is continously and proactively looking for critical vulnerabilities and bugs inside all their software. Some of these vulnerabilities are discovered by its internal team assigned to the task, others are being spotted by the online community and Microsoft is being warned about the vulnerability discovered. What happens next, is that the development team assigned to fixing vulnerability issues, releases an update, often known as patch. When a new update is available for the Windows operating system or one of its components, it quickly becomes available on the Windows Update Website. What happens next, is that users can go to the website, choose to scan their system for needed updates, select the critical update they need, and fix their computer that way.

However, the proper way to be protected is the easiest one - the silent mode of updating using Automatic Updates. Modern Windows operating system contain a service which is known as Automatic Updates. What happens is that this service continously monitors the Windows Update website, while your computer is running and connected to the Internet, even without user notice. When a new critical vulnerability is discovered and an update is issued, the Automatic Updates Service detects this new patch, scans the operating system and checks if the flaw exists inside the user computer. If the flaw is discovered, then the patch is automatically downloaded an installed on the user computer, therefore preventing the user from any kind of damage from the vulnerability discovered, as soon as possible.

It is to be mentioned that Automatic Updates is configurable. The user can choose whether to run this in completely silent mode, or to be prompted when updates are about to be downloaded and installed. Perhaps a good option to be chosen, is to download the updates in background, but letting the user choose the moment of installing these updates. Windows XP does install the updates when the user is shutting down or restarting his/her computer, as a less obtrusive way to install the updates (please note that in most cases, a critical update needs a computer reboot afterwards, in order to deploy completely).

It is not just the Windows operating system itself that is affected by critical vulnerabilities. Microsoft Office components, like Outlook for example (but not only), Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and many other components are themselves affected by critical vulnerabilities and there is a constant need to keep these tools updated as well. However, the most important updates are the ones that refer to networking and progams that use the Internet to communicate in general, since these are the first ones that will be affected by exploits released to take advantage of the newest vulnerabilities discovered, and take control over your computer. Keeping Automatic Updates active is therefore the best way to protect yourself against such problems, but do not forget also to have all the needed software up and running, like firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, and in this way protect your every day computing experience.