Cyber Security Month Tech Tip #9
Welcome digital citizens to another Cyber Security Tech Tip. As a reminder throughout the month of October in observance of Cyber Security Awareness Month I will try share a tech tip each day that have helped me how to keep my digital security in mind. Cyber Security is a topic that far too many Internet and computer users do not pay enough attention to. Not that it is completely their fault. In the process of learning how to save Word documents, watch streaming video, and updating social network statuses we aren't taught or told how to protect our data. And because we are all so connected if my systems and accounts are compromised I increase the risk for the same happening to all the people I correspond with via email, instant messaging, and social networking because personal information I have collected about those people is apart of my data footprint. Data that can be mined and weaponized.
Keep Your Web Browsers Up-To-Date
Be it on your mobile phone, tablet or computer your portal into the Internet is usually a web browser. Pretty much the letters “http” and “.com” are apart of the global lexicon. So a large portion of a person's digital footprint goes though their web browser of choice. That makes a web browser a very advantageous means to target and collect data. When a vulnerability to a web browser is found it is a very serious matter. Updates must be installed immediately. If not every piece of data that your push through or receive from your web browser of choice can be intercepted by a third party. So at least once a week check your browser to make sure it is running the most current updates.
Google Chrome
In Google Chrome you want to click on the triple dot button in the upper right hand part of the browser menu. From there go to Help –> About Google Chrome. You will see a window pop up that gives you current information about the version of Chrome you are using. If there is an update it will download it and give you and button to restart the browser to apple the update.
Firefox
The update method for Mozilla Firefox is quite similar. You will want to chick on the Hamburger Menu (triple dashes) in the upper right hand part of the browser window. From there click on “Help” –> “About Firefox”. As with Chrome a window will pop up with current Firefox information. If an update is needed it will update and give you a button to restart the browser once it is ready.
Edge
Edge is a Microsoft product. As long as you have Windows Updates enabled patches for Edge will run in the background when available.
It is important to make sure you are running up-to-date software. With web browsers being most digital citizens primary entry point to the Internet they should be the first software applications you check updates for. Remember to pass on any tips you see or think up all October. And have a safe #cybersecuritymonth.
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