Security updates are important because they patch vulnerabilities in your computer, protect you from targeted attacks, and safeguard you from malicious software, said Clement Lefebvre in a recent Linux Mint blog post.
“When a vulnerability is found developers fix it as soon as possible and distributions ship it as an update so you can apply it in a timely fashion. These vulnerabilities then become public and known by potential attackers. This means an outdated system isn’t just vulnerable, it is known to be vulnerable,” Lefebvre explained.
Nonetheless, many users fail to apply updates or perform upgrades in a timely fashion. For example, he notes that between 5% and 30% of users run Linux Mint 17.x, which no longer receives security updates. “If you are still using Linux Mint 17.x you need to back up your data and reinstall a modern version ASAP,” he says.
The blog post provides simple steps for finding out which version of Linux Mint you’re running and applying all necessary updates to your machine.
No matter what distribution you run, applying software updates is essential for securing your system.
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