Kalamazoo College Security Patches and Updates information Page

All computers on the Kalamazoo College network are required to have the latest service packs and patches that are available installed on them. Read on to learn about what patches are and what you need to do to get your system patched:

You can find answers to the most frequently asked service pack and patching questions by clicking on any of the links below:

What are patches?

Similar to the way fabric patches are used to repair holes in clothing, software patches repair holes in software programs. Patches are updates that fix a particular problem or vulnerability within a program. Sometimes, instead of just releasing a patch, vendors will release an upgraded version of their software, they may refer to the upgrade as a patch or service pack.

Why should I patch my computer?

Patching your computer is critical! Patches repair stability and interoperability issues and performance problems. They also mitigate vulnerabilities and large-scale security problems.

A good example of how critical it is to patch you computer is the recent outbreak of viruses and worms: (e.g. MyDoom, Beagle, Sasser, Blaster, GaoBot). These viruses exploited unpatched vulnerabilities in several Windows operating systems. Because the viruses spread so quickly, software vendors did not have virus and firewall updates available to prevent them. As a result many of these viruses disabled antivirus and firewall software, leaving unpatched computers infected and spreading the viruses to others.

I have antivirus software and a personal firewall, aren't these enough?

No, security is all about layers, and the sad fact is that all too often, one or more layers fail:

• Your firewall won't protect you against things that you allow through it, you must open outgoing holes in your firewall that allow you to get to the network and internet. Many applications such as games, also require you to open incoming holes in your firewall so that you can interact with other players. These holes can provide an open door for viruses and hackers to compromise your system

• Your antivirus software cannot protect your from new viruses that hit systems faster than the antivirus companies can update their definition files.

• Even the firewall and antivirus software you depend on to protect your computer is vulnerable to programming errors and must be diligently maintained. This doesn't simply mean updating antivirus definition files and tweaking firewall settings, but also patching them against newly discovered vulnerabilities.

Doesn't the College firewall prevent these problems?

The College firewall does prevent many viruses and attacks from getting into the network from outside the College. But, computers that are inside the firewall are vulnerable to internal threats and viruses. If one virus infected computer is connected to the internal network, that computer can spread the virus to many other computer within minutes!

Where can I get service packs and patches for my computer?

When service packs and patches are available, vendors usually put them on their web sites for users to download. Many vendors have any "Automatic Update" feature that you can enable. For Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh users, follow the directions provided below to download service packs and patches for your systems.

If you have questions about or need assistance installing patches and updates:

If you are faculty or staff, contact the helpdesk at x5800.

If you are a student, please contact your RCC.

Note: Make sure that you only download software or patches from web sites that you trust. Do not trust a link in an email message. Attackers have used email messages to direct users to malicious web sites where users install viruses disguised as patches. Also, beware of email messages that claim that they have attached the patch to the message these attachments are often viruses.

Microsoft Windows Users:

to learn how to configure your PC to automatically download and install the most important updates click here .

To manually download and install windows updates using Microsoft's Windows Update website, read the instructions here

Apple Macintosh Users:

to learn how to configure your Macintosh to automatically download and install the most important updates click here .

To manually download patches and updates for your Macintosh, visit the Apple Service and Support website