New Malwarebytes Version

New Malwarebytes Version: a reader asks:

I read your last article, but just saw a popup on my screen (Windows 10). It’s an update to Malwarebytes, which I have installed on my computer. Is this type of popup safe and should I update?

Yes, if you have installed legitimate, commercial software on your computer, you should always keep it up-to-date. Malwarebytes.com releases new versions of its anti-malware protection software on a regular basis. This is to keep up with the threats. After all, hackers can buy Malwarebytes just as easily as you can, and then try to figure out ways to bypass or compromise it.

For that matter, all your installed software should be kept up-to-date as part of your normal computer maintenance. Outdated software is an easy way for hackers to compromise your computer security. One caveat though: major operating system updates should be put off for a month or two (for most people) as they inevitably have bugs that must be worked out. This includes macOS and Windows 10. Oh, and if you’re still using something older than Windows 10, it’s way past time to upgrade.

Malwarebytes is currently on version 4.4.0, so if you’re using a version older than that, take the update as soon as you see that popup. If you want it immediately, just visit https://malwarebytes.com/download, download and install the version for your computer type. If you don’t already have the premium version (with a license key), you can still use a 14-day free trial. Don’t worry about installing the trial over your current premium version, any licensing will carry over as the free and premium are the same software product.

If you don’t purchase the premium version, your trial will revert to the free version of Malwarebytes. It’s just as strong at finding and removing malware, but doesn’t work in the background to prevent infections. With the free version you have to manually scan for and remove any infections after the fact. My personal opinion: it’s better to prevent an infection than to recover from one – infections can do irreparable harm to your data.

Aside from Malwarebytes, other important updates have been recently released.

1. Apple put out critical updates: 14.6 for iOS for iphones and iPads, along with watchOS 7.5, and macOS 11.4 (still Big Sur) for Macs. These are all updates Apple users should install ASAP.
2. Microsoft has released Windows 10 version 20H2. This is a major update that doesn’t get installed automatically. It was just released, so you can wait a month or two before installing this.
3. Google’s latest Android version is 11 (released sept. 2020), but Android update capability is dependent on the particular smartphone or tablet brand and model – Android isn’t great about supporting older devices (sometimes even older than 1 year) with the latest versions of the Android operating system. Whatever computer or device you have, you should update it to the latest version asap.