Hello my ADI Community!
Today I want to discuss Windows Updates? Specifically:
- What are Windows updates?
- What is being updated with each update?
- And finally the frequently skipped, optional updates.
Windows Update was introduced as a web app with the launch of Windows 98 and offered additional desktop themes, games, device driver updates, and optional components. Over the years, there were changes made to the update feature on Windows such as updated process management and server security, but the big change came in the summer of 2005. Microsoft announced the first beta of Microsoft Update, an optional replacement for Windows Update that provides security patches, service packs and other updates for both Windows and other Microsoft software. The keys terms here are “security patches” and other “updates”.
Security Patches:
As the malware world kept creating more sophisticated attacks Windows needed an answer to keep their operating system protected between OS updates. Windows revamped their updates to include security patches for Microsoft products. With these new updates Microsoft could push out critical updates to protect against day 1 threats and discovered vulnerabilities.
Optional Updates:
So I bolded this section because this is the aspect of Windows Updates I wanted to emphasize. Since 2005 Microsoft has provided a section on Windows Updates called ‘Optional updates’. This section includes updates and security patches for Microsoft products as well as updated hardware drivers for your specific system: Motherboard, Video Card, etc. These are IMPORTANT!! Please always download the latest drivers and patches. Otherwise you are leaving holes in your security fabric.
Sincerely from you Tech Savvy Engineer,
Angel Contreras
Blogger for Advanced Data Infrastructure, LLC
