By Sydney Hillard, BSS Staff
To keep your computer secure, stable, and performing at its best, it’s important to regularly update your software and firmware. These updates fix security vulnerabilities, improve reliability, and ensure compatibility with the applications you rely on every day. We’ll discuss the three main types of updates and how Business System Solutions (BSS) helps manage them.
Microsoft Windows & Microsoft Product Updates
Microsoft releases updates on a regular schedule, most commonly on “Patch Tuesday,” which occurs on the second Tuesday of each month. These updates include security patches, bug fixes, performance improvements, and new features across Windows and Microsoft applications like Office, Edge, Teams, and OneDrive.
These updates play an important role in security protection, system stability, overall performance, and features enhancements.
- Security Protection: As the most widely used operating system in the world, Windows is a major target for cyberattacks. Microsoft updates often address newly discovered vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.
- Stability & Performance: Updates resolve system bugs, improve speed, and enhance compatibility with hardware and software.
- New Features & Enhancements: Microsoft frequently adds new tools, interface improvements, and productivity features.
Business System Solutions fully manages and deploys Microsoft updates for all supported clients’ computers by:
- Automatically approving and installing critical and security updates.
- Testing updates to reduce the risk of disruptions, which may delay some updates from Patch Tuesday.
- Monitoring update status to ensure devices remain compliant.
- Handling reboots and scheduling to minimize downtime.
With Business System Solutions managing your Microsoft updates, your systems stay secure, stable, and up to date, giving you peace of mind to focus on your work without the burden of handling updates on your own.
Third Party Software Updates
Many applications outside of Microsoft, such as Adobe Reader, Java, Zoom, Chrome, Firefox, and others, also release frequent updates. Keeping these applications updated is just as important, as outdated third‑party software is a common target for attackers.
Regular application updates are essential for protecting systems, maintaining compatibility, and improving application performance:
- Security Vulnerabilities: Third‑party applications are a common entry point for security threats, specifically malware and ransomware attacks. Outdated versions can expose your system to risk.
- Compatibility: Applications need to stay aligned with the latest Windows updates and other software to function properly.
- Functionality Improvements: Updates often fix crashes, add features, and improve performance.
Business System Solutions deploys updates for a limited set of widely used third‑party applications. This includes common tools that most clients rely on, such as:
- Adobe Acrobat/Reader
- Java Runtime Environment
- Web browsers
- Certain productivity or communication tools
However, with thousands of third‑party applications and frequent updates released each month, it’s not feasible to manage every program automatically.
Below is what to expect with third-party application updates:
- If you use specialized or industry‑specific software, you may need to update it manually.
- If you’re unsure whether an update is safe or necessary to install, BSS can help guide you through it.
- Keeping your commonly used applications updated helps protect your systems and ensures everything runs smoothly.
Computer Firmware & Manufacturer Updates
Firmware updates come directly from computer manufacturers, such as Dell, HP, and Lenovo. These updates affect foundational hardware components that control how the computer functions. Examples include Basic Input Output System (BIOS), chipset, storage controllers, network adapters, and other system hardware.
Firmware and manufacturer updates help maintain the security, stability, and overall performance of your computer. These benefits are further described below:
- Hardware Stability: Firmware updates can help prevent crashes, freezes, or hardware malfunctions.
- Security: BIOS and firmware vulnerabilities can be extremely serious because they’re foundational for the functionality of your computer.
- Compatibility: Updates help your computer continue working properly with Windows and commonly used applications as they change over time.
- Performance Improvements: Updates can improve battery life, thermal management, and device responsiveness.
Firmware updates are handled differently due to the following reasons:
Firmware updates are powerful and sensitive. If something goes wrong, such as a power interruption or an incompatible update, it can cause system instability or even prevent the computer from booting. Because of this risk, firmware updates are not deployed automatically.
BSS handles firmware updates in multiple ways, as shown below:
- BSS does not automatically push firmware updates to client devices.
- We recommend using manufacturer tools such as Dell Command Update, HP Support Assistant, or Lenovo Vantage to check for updates.
- Firmware updates are typically performed when specific applications require it, during hardware or performance troubleshooting, or when a known vulnerability affects your device model.
Although firmware updates typically don’t require your attention, it’s helpful to know your options if they do.
- If you’re comfortable doing so, you may check for firmware updates using your computer manufacturer’s support software.
- If you prefer, you can contact BSS and we can perform the firmware updates for you.
- In most cases, firmware updates are only needed when there is a specific problem or requirement.
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Keeping your system updated is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your data and ensure your computer runs smoothly. While many happen quietly in the background, each plays an important role in supporting the security, stability, and performance of your computer.
By working together, we can maintain secure and reliable technology that supports effective, everyday work.
