Tip #14: Set All Your Devices to Update Automatically – Then Forget About It

Software updates are not just about new features. They patch security holes. The longer you wait to install them, the longer those holes remain open doors for attackers.

What to do:

• Work with your IT provider to enforce automatic updates across all business devices. This should be managed centrally, not left to individual employees.
• Set a maintenance window for updates to install overnight or on weekends so they do not interrupt the workday.
• Confirm remote and home-office machines are included, not just the devices physically located in your office.

Common mistake: Update prompts appear at inconvenient moments, so employees click “remind me tonight.” Then tonight becomes next week. Meanwhile, a vulnerability the software vendor patched in March is still wide open on your machines in August.

Attackers actively scan for known, unpatched vulnerabilities. Once a patch is released, the race starts between your update process and their exploit tools.

The WannaCry ransomware attack that crippled hospitals and businesses across 150 countries in 2017 exploited a vulnerability that had been patched two months earlier. Most victims simply had not applied the update.

How to know it’s done:

• All business devices are enrolled in an automated patching system managed by your IT provider
• You or your provider receives a monthly report confirming which devices are current