There’s Only One Reason to Keep Your Mac’s Operating System Up-to-date.
Aside from the obvious benefits of helping your computer run more efficiently, helping you do things more easily, and taking advantage of new technology and enhancements, there’s really only one significant reason to keep your Mac operating system (macOS) updated: Security.
Does it Really Matter
Too many people believe: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That maxim may work for some things, but not when it comes to your computer’s ability to protect itself from malware, trojans, viruses, and malicious code. Think about it, if your computer is attached to the Internet, it’s also possible that every other computer user on the Internet could gain access to it. And while the majority of those users are harmless, there are many bad actors out there that would love to get their hands on your personal information or simply corrupt your data for the fun of it.
But I Own a Mac!
Granted, Apple computers may be less likely to be a target than a window-based machine, not because they’re necessarily better at protecting themselves but simply because there are fewer of them in use. (Apple currently accounts for about 11% of the global computer market.) So, hackers (in the derogatory sense) are less likely to waste their time on our smaller population, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t try. In fact, over the past few years attacks on Apple computers and mobile devices has skyrocketed as new exploits have been discovered and many hackers have found ways to write malicious code that can work across both Windows and Mac software platforms.
Upgrades are Proactive. Updates are Reactive.
Not only does the latest operating system upgrade offer you improved protection with each new version, but many patches (updates) that Apple applies to your current system are in direct response to a current industry-identified threat or malfunction that could put you at risk. So, random patches are just as important as upgrades, but can’t always be applied if you’re running older versions of the operating system.
Don’t Forget About Other Programs
The web browsers, email programs, word processing applications, image viewers, text messaging software, and media players that you use on a daily basis can be open season for hackers. It just takes one malicious website, email message, word processing document, text message, image, or sound file to compromise your computer. This is especially true of programs that are commonly used by many people. The more common a program, the larger target it represents and the more likely someone will try to exploit an inherent vulnerability.
So, What Should I Do?
Start by adding an anti-virus program to your system. There are many excellent free options to choose from. I’ve been using ClamXav for many years. This open source solution runs in the background and constantly monitors my machines for any malware, viruses, trojans, and/or other malicious code. I also use a software called MalwareBytes as a second layer for defense. Between you and me, neither has never caught anything, but that may well be due to the fact that I also update and patch my operating system (and all applications) religiously. Think of it this way, with any luck you’ll never need the protection, but on the off chance that you do, it will be there to look out for you.
What OS is My Computer On?
It’s easy to determine the version of the operating system running on your Mac computer. Click on the Apple icon in the taskbar at the top left of your screen and select “About This Mac.” In the box that displays, you should see one of the following names and/or version numbers (from newest to oldest):
- Catalina (10.15)
- Mojave (10.14)
- High Sierra (10.13)
- Sierra (10.12)
- El Capitan (10.11)
- Yosemite (version 10.10)
- Mavericks (version 10.9)
- Mountain Lion (version10.8)
- Lion (version 10.7)
- Snow Leopard (version 10.6)
- Leopard (version 10.5)
Depending upon the age and configuration of your computer, you may or may not be able to update to a newer operating system. It would be impossible, here, to cover all the different alternatives available based on your computer’s configuration. But here are two important rules to remember:
1) Your computer needs to be prepared for an upgrade to a newer operating system. If it’s not properly checked and verified, disk errors and corruptions could travel from the old version to the new with detrimental effects.
2) Never upgrade to a newer operating system when it’s first introduced (typically at the end of September.) Always wait until Apple has released three to four updates. This will save you from any of the initial bugs that all new software is subject to; even if – as Apple claims – it was thoroughly user-tested prior to release to consumers.
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