Most of the web hosting servers use either Windows or Linux Operating System. In case of Windows Operating System, it is essential to upgrade the system with latest Windows updates released by Microsoft to keep the system secure and up to date. Microsoft Windows Updates are important for all standalone PCs as well as high end hosting servers.
It would be really interesting to explore more about the Windows updates and it’s effects on the web hosting servers. Let’s go through this article and get more information about Windows updates, its installation process and how it affects the Web hosting option.
What is a Windows Update?
Windows Update is a service offered by Microsoft, which provides different updates like service packs and security patches for Windows. Windows updates provide with an easy and free way to keep your system running safe and sound.
Generally, Windows updates include feature enhancements and security updates, which protect the system from malware, virus definitions, malicious scripts and all types of security threats. All you need to do to get the latest Windows updates is to simply turn its option ‘on’. By doing so, you will be able to get all the latest updates from Microsoft automatically.
Windows updates is quite easy to set up. If you have turned on the option of Windows Automatic Updates, you will have Windows updates installed automatically in your system. You can check the current status of Windows updates from Control Panel. In case, if this option is turned off, you will be guided with the systematic process to do so. Thereafter, all the latest security and performance updates will be automatically installed on your computer.
As an alternative way, you can also install Windows updates by downloading them from Microsoft website. There are also many other methods and third party software available to install Windows updates even without Internet connection.
What are the types of Windows Updates?
Generally, Microsoft releases different types of updates for upgrading various aspects on its different applications.
For example, Security Updates which provide solution for serious security problems that hackers might take advantage of, if one leaves them unattended. Similarly, Program Updates offer new features that Microsoft wants to add to any of its Windows applications.
Microsoft releases its security updates on every second Tuesday of the month, which they regard as “Patch Tuesday”, but they can even provide them at any time, if there is an emergency or an urgent need to prevent a newly discovered or prevalent exploit targeting Windows users.
After having brief information on Windows updates, now let us have a look at updates that can affect the Web Hosting option.
How does Windows update affect the Web Hosting option?
It is highly recommended to install the latest Windows updates and keep your PC/Web hosting server up to date. Keeping your Windows system updated will enhance system safety, stability and security.
If a Web Hosting Server is not kept updated with Microsoft Windows Updates, it is likely to face the following limitations:
- Web hosting server becomes insecure against any security exploits.
- Some errors could be fixed only after applying the Windows Updates.
- Your server performance and functionality could not be enhanced, which happens only after updates are installed.
- Certain services of your Windows Server would not work well without receiving Microsoft Updates.
- Due to previously installed botched updates, some of server functionality are affected and they need healing security patches.
On the other hand, when a Windows update is installed in a web hosting server, it affects the working of the system according to the type of installed update.
Suppose, if we install the update related to the security of the server, it will enhance the safety and security features of the server after the update is installed. If installed update is meant to improve the performance of the server, it will enhance the working efficiency of the server with regard to that particular update.
In any case, if you do not install the important updates in your server, server functionality will be compromised at some extent. This will lead hosted websites to have limited protection against possible security threats.
Conclusion
Windows updates installation on a web hosting server is vital as it ensures its safety from viruses and hackers. However, it is necessary that each user decides a specific strategy which can work best for installing updates on the server to keep it up to date. The brief information provided in this article is a good way to start with the process of installing the latest updates on your Windows web hosting server.
This security update resolves a publicly disclosed vulnerability in Internet Explorer. The vulnerability could allow remote code execution if a user views a specially crafted webpage using an affected version of Internet Explorer. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.