On Wednesday (August 12, 2020), Microsoft released its August 2020 batch of software security updates for all supported versions of its Windows operating systems and other devices.
If you fail to update your Windows devices, you can be hacked by:
- Playing a video file due to flaws in Microsoft Media Foundation and Windows Codecs
- Listening to audio due to a bug in Windows Media Audio Codec
- Browsing the internet with Internet Explorer
- Editing an HTML page due to an MSHTML Engine flaw
- Reading a PDF due to a loophole in the Microsoft Edge PDF reader
- Receiving an email due to a bug in Microsoft Outlook
The security updates address 120 newly discovered software vulnerabilities, including 17 of which are critical. If the new update is not installed on your Windows devices, you are at risk of a zero-day attack.
A zero-day attack is an attack that exploits a software security weakness and can involve malware, adware, spyware, or unauthorized access to user information. Think of a zero-day attack as your front door. You may think it’s locked, but a criminal discovers that it isn’t and walks right in undetected. At this point, all of your stuff is up for grabs and they may be out of your house before you even knew it was happening.
As of right now, two of these security flaws have been exploited by hackers. You can read about them here.
To protect yourself, we urge you to run the software security update as soon as possible. Go to the Start Menu -> open Settings -> click on Security and Update, and install the new update.
If you have any questions regarding zero-day attacks or updating your Windows operating systems and devices, reach out to us at 706-426-6313 or Info@AugustaITGuys.com.
*If you are a Premier Networx partner, we automatically handle your company’s software updates. If you have personal Windows computers or products, you should consistently run available software updates in order to protect your data.
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