With easy access to Broadband and DSL the amount of people using the World Wide Web has skyrocket in recent years. Email, instant messaging and document sharing with other Internet users has also provided a platform for faster spreading of viruses, Trojans and Spyware. Being online without appropriate protection is like walking in the rain with no umbrella you are going to get wet no matter how fast you run.
With so many computers Installed in home offices it will become crucial that home users install the most recent Microsoft patches when they become available. Windows XP Service Pack 2 has changed the default settings are now notifying the consumer of available updates automatically. It has improved the level of safety in some places, but there are a really high number of computers and users that do not install security patches or hot fixes provided by pornographic virus alert from microsoft. As businesses home users need to do a little research about the patches that are being installed. Only installing them and walking away will do the job for some time, but sooner or later home users will encounter an issue a patch breaks something and finally renders the machine useless. So, what should home users do if new Microsoft patches become available? First of all – spots are often released the second Tuesday of each month. Often these events are commented in the news and other websites. Users should also sign up for email alerts or MSN Messenger alarms at Microsoft’s security site at security to be mindful about upgrades.
Once patches are available Microsoft recommends installing them instantly. Based on the assurance level of the consumer this should be carried out fairly soon after the patch release. If a user has many systems available it is suggested to check the patches on the least critical system first before upgrading all machines. Just one machine at a time is suggested to keep an eye on things and to have the ability to repair problems. In Windows XP it is also suggested to make a restore point so the system can revert back to the present state before patching.
Home users should closely adhere to the media about virus outbreaks and upgrades. Waiting a couple of days with patching a machine can make sense if some important work is completed on the computer a significant deadline has to be kept. There is nothing more annoying than having to fight computer issues with limited time available. Speaking of time – not install patches without having enough time available. Users must allocate 60 minutes of time just in case. If something goes wrong time pressure is the last thing you need to confront when troubleshooting a machine that is down.