I suppose it's a matter of how computer and surfing savvy a user is. I only have Windows 8.1 (on one computer for as many years as it was available and now installed on a new, custom built machine I got just over a year ago to replace the old one). I always keep automatic updates turned off - for Windows and all other programs. I surf and have surfed many sites over the years and have yet to get a malware infection. I have two active anti-virus software packages - AVG and Malwarebytes. I do not use Windows Defender at all - when I first had it years ago I found it just a PITA so have always kept it disabled.flagpole wrote:You would be crazy to disable automatic updates.
It's a security issue.
On some sites I might not be familiar with but end up on from Google links when researching software, etc., Malwarebytes will pop up a notification that it has blocked a window, a redirect (which IE also warns me about), attempted malware, etc., so obviously I have surfed sites that might have malicious intention. But my AV software has done an excellent job of taking care of that. And of course I know better than to click on unknown links in emails or other messages (and I don't have either AV program monitor my emails because it just slows my email down way too much). I get so little spam email anyway that it's hardly a concern.
So I suspect that it's not always necessary for every user to keep Windows updated for what Microsoft considers necessary security updates - unless Windows 10 is so much more vulnerable to security breaches than my Windows 8.1 of course, or if people don't have software effective at monitoring surfing activity or unasked for incoming traffic.
