Keeping everything correctly updated is essential to avoid problems that put security and privacy at risk. But to what extent can it affect? In this article, we are going to talk about what can happen if you decide to delay Windows updates. It is something that you can do easily, since there is the option to postpone them or even pause them until you decide to resume them.
This, as you can imagine, has its consequences. We always recommend having everything updated and having an obsolete system can cause problems. There are circumstances in which it could affect much more, as we are going to explain to you. It is in those cases that you should, even more, avoid risks.
What happens if you postpone updates
Even though we’re focusing on Windows, it’s really something you should apply to any other system. You may use Linux, macOS, you may be interested in an operating system for Android… But we are going to talk about the specific case of the Microsoft system, which is also one of the ones with the most security threats.
You don’t fix vulnerabilities
The first thing that will happen is that you will not correct any vulnerabilities that may exist in the system. There may be major security flaws affecting some Windows component and this could lead to unwanted access, theft of passwords or personal data. We constantly see vulnerabilities of all kinds and it is always advisable to correct them.
The only way to correct security flaws effectively is precisely by installing updates. Every month, Windows releases a series of patches to fix these errors. Therefore, we do not recommend postponing updates or, at least, keeping them for as short a time as possible.
Increased risk when using public networks
A specific risk is when using public networks. This is where there may be a greater chance that they will sneak in a malicious file, enter a fake website by redirecting you with fake DNS, etc. If you have an outdated operating system, that will translate into security problems.
Our advice is that, if you are going to use public Wi-Fi, use a good VPN. Some examples are surfshark either NordVPN. However, having the latest versions of the system will also be key to not having problems on these types of networks.
Compatibility issues
Another problem with not updating Windows, and postponing the installation, is that some incompatibility may appear. What can happen? For example, you could update the network card drivers or an application you use, but leave the OS obsolete. That, when the time comes, could cause incompatibility and not work well.
The ideal is to always have everything with the latest version and make sure that both the OS and the programs or drivers do not have any vulnerabilities that they can exploit and affect you.
In short, delaying Windows updates can be a major problem for your security, but also for the functionality of the system. Our recommendation is that you apply these patches as soon as they are available, in order to maintain proper functioning.
