Malware is short for malicious software. It’s a general term that refers to software designed to cause damage to your network, server, computers, or client applications. Viruses and ransomware can enter into your computer system via malware.

Malware breaches your system through insecure emails or websites. This is a technique that cybercriminals use and is called phishing. These emails look like they are sent from a legitimate organization or from someone you know. When you click on a link in the email or open an attachment, the code activates and does its dirty work.

Ransomware is also usually transmitted through phishing emails. It is a type of malware that prevents you from accessing your computer until you pay the cybercriminal. It targets software that has not been maintained or kept up to date.

Why would keeping your software updated matter?

Software degrades over time as the operating system, other software applications, and the computer hardware that interact with it are updated.

Patching is a term IT nerds use that refers to updating, fixing, or improving your software and programs. They know how to spot bugs and the security vulnerabilities we’ve been talking about here.

What is a software bug?

A software bug is an error or flaw in a software application, which causes it to do weird things or create incorrect or random results.

Thus, it seriously is a good idea to keep all components of your IT system updated and compatible.

Integrinet IT offers a free assessment of your IT infrastructure. Our consultants can help you identify components that are incompatible or troubleshoot the reason they are going haywire. Our service engineers are specialists in managing the process of patching and updating your systems.