Devices and protection
Attackers use flaws that already have a fix
Updates feel like an interruption, and putting one off for a few weeks seems harmless.
1 min readExplainer
The short version
Attackers rarely need a new trick. The fix for the flaw they use is often already published.
What actually happens
When a software maker publishes a fix, it also tells everyone, attackers included, where the flaw was. Criminals then scan the internet for systems that have not been updated yet.
The US government keeps a public list of flaws that attackers are confirmed to be using. New entries arrive every week, in everyday business software such as firewalls, remote-access tools, browsers and office software. Our home page shows the latest entries as they are added.
Patching works when it is routine: updates applied on a schedule, devices that missed one found and fixed, and the urgent ones handled first. Equipment that no longer gets updates needs a replacement plan.
What you can do today
- Turn on automatic updates on phones, browsers and any home computer used for work.
- Ask when your firewall and remote-access equipment were last updated. They are common targets.
- List the equipment and software that no longer gets security updates, and plan to replace it.
Talk to us about your technology
Tell us what you run today and what is getting in the way. We will get back to you about how we can help.