Protecting Software

Software vulnerabilities are one of the most common entry points for cyber attacks. This lesson covers how organisations protect their software through updates, patches and secure coding practices — all key topics for GCSE Computer Science.

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Why Software Needs Protection

All software contains potential weaknesses. These vulnerabilities may arise from:

• Coding errors — mistakes in the source code that create security flaws
• Design flaws — fundamental architectural decisions that leave systems exposed
• Third-party components — libraries and frameworks written by others that may contain their own vulnerabilities
• Changing threat landscape — new attack techniques are constantly being developed

When a vulnerability is discovered, it creates a race between:

• Defenders (the software company) — who want to fix the vulnerability before it is exploited
• Attackers — who want to exploit the vulnerability before it is patched

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Software Updates

A software update is a new version of a program that may include:

• New features — additional functionality
• Performance improvements — faster, more efficient operation
• Bug fixes — corrections to errors in the software
• Security patches — fixes for known vulnerabilities