Important Programs to Keep Updated

Don’t know what to do about all of the pop-ups on your PC that keep telling you that a program needs to be updated? Ignoring these can leave you vulnerable to attacks from viruses, trojans and other malware.  Click on this link to download and print this information. Keep this list by your computer to help you decide.

Important Programs to Keep Updated

1. Microsoft Windows/ Microsoft Office
   As long as you have your system set up to locate new updates, it will automatically install these when you shut down your system. Try a second time and, if you still get a message that updates have failed, you should seek professional assistance to determine why.
2. Your Anti Virus Program
   Need I say anything more about this one. Make sure that it runs regularly too.
   And if you get a pop-up saying there are viruses on your machine and you need to click for updates, DON’T – only use your anti-virus program button or automatically apply updates to your system.
3. Adobe Reader
   Most of us use Adobe Reader to open files with an extension of .PDF so it is important that this product not open us to malware problems. Once you have gotten your updates past 9.2, Adobe Reader installs a program that automatically updates instead of waiting for you to download and install them – a great help to all of us. If you don’t have Adobe Reader 9, go to adobe.com and download it. Make sure that you don’t have any other products checked.
4. Adobe Flash will also tell you when it needs to be updated.
5. Java
   Behind the scenes, Java helps websites work correctly. Usually it finds its way onto systems when its needed. Then it must be kept updated. Java will pop up and indicate that it has updates for you to install. Heed this warning. When downloading, look carefully to make sure that you uncheck any other products that are being downloaded at the same time if you don’t want them.
6. iTunes and QuickTime
   These Apple products are used by a lot of us now with the strong infiltration of iPod, iPhone, and now the iPad. And iTunes is dependent upon having QuickTime installed so even if you don’t use it to watch any videos, it still needs to be updates. Apple has a program that notifies you when there is a new version of iTunes/QuickTime. When you go to download and install the program, uncheck the Safari browser and any other programs that you may not want.
7. If you have other tools that you use, such as tools to check for spyware and other inappropriate programs, be sure to check for their updates as well.
8. And don’t forget to keep the programs you use everyday up-to-date as well. For example, Quicken or Quickbooks.