“Picture this scenario. You walk into your local supermarket to buy your weekly groceries and just before you drop an item of produce into your trolley, you quickly scan it over for freshness and check its expiry date. You wouldn’t knowingly choose something that was marked out-of-date. And if you did notice it was past its expiry date, you would automatically select a new, fresher version of the same produce instead,” says Lutz Blaeser, MD of Intact Security. “However, most people don’t realise that the programs and software installed on their PCs also have ‘expiry dates’ and must be updated in a timely manner.”

This is especially true of security software, which is at the first line of defence for any computer or network. Regular updates provide protection against the latest threats, and prevent vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cyber criminals who use them for identity theft, virus infection, loss of data, access to bank accounts or the relay of attacks against others.

“Fixing these vulnerabilities is as simple as downloading and installing a patch provided for free. However, most people delay or neglect installing the patches, thus increasing the risk from the point in time when a vulnerability is first disclosed (and details reach cyber criminals), until the patch has been installed,” Blaeser points out.

Ensuring Your Software is the Freshest

He adds that while having anti-virus installed on your PC as baseline security is essential, neglecting to update the software allows cyber criminals to create and deploy malware that can bypass detection. “The good news is that the power to substantially reduce the window of opportunity for cyber criminals is in the hands of all PC users. There is no need to spend additional money; instead ensure that you have the ‘freshest’, up-to-date version of your program.”

Installing Avira security software makes this process even simpler, as it offers a simplified, seamless and automated updating system that does the work for users. Protecting more than 100 million people across the globe, Avira detects and removes the latest malware, shielding users from viruses, worms, rootkits, botnets, identity theft scams, and other threats.

“Avira outwits malware that hides from ordinary anti-virus software, and its advanced detection mechanisms find rogue code immediately. Regular automatic updates provide even better resistance to the millions of threats PC users encounter on a daily basis – without the user even being aware of the work that’s going on in the background. It’s never been easier, or more convenient, to stay secure,” Blaeser concludes.