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Surely you know what a pop-up is. If you ever been on your computer doing important work and suddenly saw a pop-up for a software update, but have been busy so you decide to update later, this is the article you’ve been looking for.
What Is a Feature Pack
Let’s start by understanding what a Feature Pack is and why are the updates it usually holds important for you and your devices.
A feature pack is represented by a new product functionality that is being distributed outside the context of a product release and that is typically included in the next full product release.
The Feature Pack is widely used when discussing Microsoft’s products and usually contains updates that are containing fixes, enhancements, performance improvements and so on, with the windows Feature Packs being basically cumulative updates released by Microsoft.
Now that we nailed down what is a Feature Pack, we can start to better understand why software updates are important?
The Importance of Feature Updates
Unfortunately, sometimes users don’t realize how important software updates really are until the software stops working completely or they lose important information.
First, off you should know that software updates are extremely important when it comes to stopping cyber threats.
Cyber threats can expose sensitive information and therefore put financial and personal information at risk. Not updating your software can lead to data leaks, exposing the personal information of clients to criminals,
A simple action as failing to press an update button on a piece of software can have serious consequences, so you should know that when it comes to IT security a lot is at risk.
If you have personal information about yourself, your financial information and that of your relatives and friends on the software you currently use then downloading updates is a must.
Simply put, it’s mandatory to make sure you’re applying available updates for operating systems and applications like plugins, browsers, desktop apps (which include both security and feature patches) therefore allowing for the fixing and improvement of the
The Latest Feature packs often come with not only security fixes but also with the latest features for the software as well, so not going for that new software update could mean you are not in the loop when it comes to important features that could make your life much easier.
The updates you receive are aimed at making your overall experience better and are able to improve your experience in the long run in order to ensure that you get the most from your technology.
Why Install a Feature Pack?
Let’s talk about why you should install a Feature Pack? Leaving aside all the updates and fun criteria you should make sure to install a feature pack, in order to not fall victim to cyber threats like malvertising, browser hijacking, or phishing attacks.
Malvertising, the malicious online advertising (malvertising) that has become a key driver for malware infections, and has exposed billions of Internet users to all types of malware and associated security risks.
Probably every Internet user in the world has seen an online ad at some point in his/her life, either in an email inbox, on social media, in Google search results, on websites, on a smartphone, in an app (either on the web or on a smartphone), without knowing if the website in question is unknowingly and unwillingly host malicious ads.
Malvertising is dangerous as it’s a tactic used by cybercriminals to inject malicious online ads into legitimate websites with the sole purpose to spread malware, leaving the door open for the attackers to hijack entire domains or leverage online ads distribution networks to bypass code checking and other security measures.
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Browser hijackers also represent a dangerous category, as they are able to change the user’s browser settings without permission and continue by injecting malicious ads into that browser and they even can damage the Windows registry, incurring permanent consequences.
Wrapping Up…
When wondering what is a Feature Pack good for think about the importance of being safe in today’s cybersecurity landscape, and try to take a few minutes of your time to update your software, as it’s crucial for you to have the latest updates in order to close security holes and therefore prevent cybercriminals from exploiting any vulnerabilities in your system.
Keep in mind that feature packs are similar in some ways and different in others as they fill a gap between Power Tools and Product, that contain carefully chosen features providing real value, full testing, and support, and essentially, there is a way to deliver fully complete product features off-cycle from the major releases.
Dora is a digital marketing specialist within Heimdal™ Security. She is a content creator at heart - always curious about technology and passionate about finding out everything there is to know about cybersecurity.
