In the News
Software updates pose great positives, but reveal past security risks. In Microsoft Fixes Zero Day and Data Deletion Bugs, Phil Muncaster at Infosecurity Magazine discusses Microsoft’s most recent software update and the patches made to its system. Muncaster explains that one of the vulnerabilities patched on the most recent update included one that allowed malicious individuals to gain ‘administrator access to the operating system as well as fixed an update which deleted old user profiles.
Our Take
Microsoft’s and other company’s periodic updates allow for continued revision of their products in order to improve the security and functionality of their platforms. However, users often do not update their devices apps at the same frequency as companies produce updates. This discrepancy means that many users have outdated and potentially non-secure modes of communication on their devices. Additionally, such a high frequency of updates reveals the technical security issues with a software program. Though this may be alarming in concept, the constant demand of new and exciting technologies lead to potential security risks. The important thing is that these risks get resolved in updates which happens often, but not always.
Recommendations
So how can you protect your personal data when using online platforms?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Update your devices and apps whenever possible to avoid running a vulnerable program
- Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible.
- Stay up to date on news covering recent breaches to see if you may have been affected