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Security Corner: Time to Check Google Chrome is Up to Date

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Google has released a critical patch to address new Zero-Day vulnerabilities that can impact Google Chrome. By default, Chrome is set up to auto-update but if when you first installed Chrome you happened to select to manually update, you’ll need to that now. If you’re unsure where you stand, here’s how to check:

  1. Launch Google Chrome
  2. On the top right of the Web browser, click the three vertical dots
  3. In the drop-down menu click Help
  4. Then choose About Google Chrome

If you see a message that reads: Google Chrome is up to date, you’re up-to-date.

If you learn you’re not up to date, then please click the Update option on the About Google Chrome page to initiate the Chrome update process.

Google recently found security vulnerabilities in Chrome and this update patches those security vulnerabilities. It’s important to keep software up to date all the time, and particularly around the holidays when scammers tend to up their efforts. As an aside, please remember to not open any emails, click on links, or open any attachments from people that you don’t know. Also, even if you do know the sender, if something feels off, call or email that person from a new email that you create, to check if they’ve indeed contacted you.

Apple releases their next version of macOS Big Sur; plus new M1 chip coming soon

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Apple released their next version of macOS Big Sur on November 12th. We know the new features are exciting. It has a new design and aesthetic, a customizable control center, and the rest, well, it could be a big Sur-prise.

As such, Sorted Solution recommends you wait to upgrade production workstations. In a few months, Apple will release initial updates with bug fixes and the software developers such as Graphisoft, AutoDesk, BlueBeam, Adobe, etc. will release updates that address compatibility issues with the new MacOS. That will be a much better time to consider an upgrade, on the software side.

Apple will also be releasing new hardware with its own designed M1 chip shortly. Should you upgrade your hardware?

Good question. While this new chip is impressive, it will be the first of its kind, and again, Sorted Solution would recommend waiting. Developers won’t have their software ready for the new chip for a while. Have all of your 3rd party software vendors released updates to support the new chip? We would imagine it will take them around a year to support it fully. Then M2 will likely be released by Apple.

If you’re in the market for new Apple hardware at this time, we would recommend purchasing hardware with Intel chips as opposed to the new Apple M1 chips. The Intel chips are now the most mature of its product line and will be for a couple of more years.

Remember, you want your production workstation to be stable, mature, and supported by 3rd party vendors.  Being on the cutting edge of any technology can be a risk to your productivity; not the challenge to add on to an already taxing year.