Tip Thursday - Checking Windows Security

Welcome to Tech Insider’s Tip Thursday, in which we bring you practical computing tips and information.

This week: Check your computer for Windows vulnerabilities.

In all likelihood, you have some version of Microsoft Windows as your computer’s operating system. Windows, of course, requires regular security upgrades and it’s possible that you might have fallen behind. There’s no reason to, however. Windows should be set to automatically download daily updates. Go to Start, Command Panel, and click Security Center. Click on the Automatic Updates icon, and check the white box that says automatic.

But, it’s not a bad idea to check your current status, for which Microsoft has a handy analyzer that will scan your computer for vulnerabilities. You might want to check other computers’ vulnerabilities, too, for which you’ll need a machine’s Internet protocol address. The Microsoft Baseline Analyzer does require a software download.