Critical Updates

Modern day operating system and applications are complex.  They may be vulnerable to unforeseen security threats.  Manufacturers develop patches, critical updates and service packs to correct these vulnerabilities.  Make sure you regularly apply security updates to operating systems, security applications and office applications.

·      Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 - It important to make sure that your operating system is always updated with the latest Microsoft OS releases. Windows XP Service Pack 2 is the current recommended Service Pack for Windows XP. To set update options on your computer, go the desktop and right-click on 'My Computer'.  Select 'Properties'.  Select 'Automatic Updates.'  Choose 'Automatic (recommended)'.  Choose 'Every day' at '12:00PM.'  Automatic updates will periodically check the internet for critical updates and apply them at the set time.  Thus it is important to have your computer running at the scheduled time.  Additionally, you can visit the Microsoft Windows update web site and manually check for updates. 
See http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/.

·       Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 2 - Office update requires you to visit the Office Update site to manually check for updates. 
See http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/.

·      Windows Defender - Download and install Windows Defender to help protect your computer against common forms of spyware and other unwanted programs. To check if Windows Defender is updated with the latest definition version, go to 'Start' and select 'All Programs'. Click on the 'Windows Defender" application icon. View your definition version under 'Status' at the bottom of the window. To manually update your definition files, click the small "Down-Arrow" to the right of the 'Help' menu icon. Select "About Windows Defender". Click 'Check for updates' menu.  Click 'Ok' and 'Close'.
 

·      Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 - To automatically check for updates; click on the down arrow in the top right corner to select the "Access application menu."  Select "Tools -> Options."  In the "Automatic updates" section, check "Once a day" and "Download codec’s automatically."   To manually check for updates, click on the down arrow in the top right corner to select the "Access application menu."  Select "Help -> Check for Player Updates."
 

·       Firefox 1.5 - By default, Firefox will automatically download and install updates.  However, you can also check for updates by clicking on Help -> Check for Updates.