Are you one of the people who repeatedly clicks “remind me tomorrow” when your computer annoys you with an update?

If yes, stop doing that and update your computer when it tells you to do so.

Do the same for the apps on your phone.

These updates are sometimes cosmetic, and you obviously don’t need those updates. But any update that fixes a “bug” is an essential update for your computer or phone.

Why?

Because hackers use “bugs” to enter your devices and steal your information. Companies like Apple and Google work hard to fix bugs so that bad actors (sometimes known as Black Hat hackers) can’t take advantageof what are known as “zero-day exploits” to hack your device, and thousands or even millions of other devices.

Updating your computer and phone, including all the apps, will patch any known bugs so that your system is better protected.

So stop clicking “remind me tomorrow.” And while I’m on the subject, also enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your email, banking, and healthcare websites and apps!

You absolutely cannot be too careful.