Do you keep your Windows Applications Updated?

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[windbg]

Why bother to update your Windows applications when they just continue to work fine?

But what happens when your application has a security flaw being exploited? How do you even find out it even has a security flaw?

A part of the Lastpass fiasco was the administrators computer was running an out of date application whose security flaw was exploited.

Besides updating an application from the original author’s web site, what mechanisms do you trust for application updates? WinGet? What Windows application sites do you trust to get application updates from?

How did Windows get into this mess? How does Linux solve this problem? See the following:

https://www.pcmag.com/opinions/microsofts-approach-app-updates-wreaks-havoc-windows-pcs

The article above describes a past Microsoft business decision that prioritized business strategy over security.

Windows 10 22H2 desktops & laptops on Dell, HP, ASUS; No servers, no domain.

• This topic was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by windbg.
• This topic was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by windbg.

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I update every app with new updates/versions. As the majority of apps I use are portable I download from PortableApps.com. Otherwise I download from developers sites (as I use a new app I bookmark developer’s site in the folder where I keep the source).
Drivers are downloaded from OEM or using Intel driver support assistant and Nvidia GeForce Experience.
Until Oct. 31 I used SUmo to check for updates. Haven’t found a replacement yet.

There are no Microsoft Store apps apart from the store app.

No background updates except for my default browser, Chrome beta, Kaspersky A/V (the same applies to my iPhone , iPad, Apple watch).

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AlphaCharlie

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Some features and former freedoms get taken away most notably sometimes coercing/nagging the user to a subscription model (rent ware), still there are a great many real and emulated legacy systems still keep things going in the government and private sector, and some old applications and games were just really a pleasure to use.

Windows has had a good reputation for backward compatibility. Somebody who posted here on AskWoody recently wanted to install Visual Basic 6 on a newer revision of Windows 10 Professional which would not work. Microsoft really went out of their way to support Visual Basic 6 for years; There may be a kludge to keep going on a little longer but a company or yourself cannot spend much more effort to debug issues anymore. Perhaps using kludges to utilize older software may make way for exploitation?

But what happens when your application has a security flaw being exploited? How do you even find out it even has a security flaw?

• Somebody you know personally warns you.
• You read or clicked an e-mail then you are in trouble!
• Something goes “bang”, time to ask why?
• “Congratulations you found a bug!”
• The computer acts *very* weird.
• The program tells you with a update notification that has a proper changelog or warning.
• At other times you can read a blog, Did Bleeping Computer post first when the when the Piriform infiltration and CCleaner exploitation was discovered?

Mr. Roshall should add auto update as he pleases, with a way for Business/Enterprise IT folks to disable the function.

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Myst

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you can turn to software updater utilities or package managers like winget

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doriel

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Nearly all of the Programs/Apps I use are configured for automatic update.  Those that don’t offer that configuration can be updated from the “Help” menu.  Updating is not an issue for me.

Always create a fresh drive image before making system changes/Windows updates; you may need to start over!

We all have our own reasons for doing the things that we do with our systems; we don't need anyone's approval, and we don't all have to do the same things.

We were all once "Average Users".

Computer Specs

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b wrote:

you can turn to software updater utilities or package managers like winget

Worth nothing for me as the majority of software I use is portable.
Just today I have tried UpdateHub which runs Winget. The apps found some C++ needed updates. That all.

Missing SUmo.

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