It is important to keep both your PC’s updated and running with the latest versions of both your operating system and installed programs. The process can be automated for the most part but there are times when your intervention is required.
Whenever you see a message for Windows Updates those should be installed. This will sometimes require a restart after the updates install. Likewise the updates for Java and Adobe products (like Acrobat) should be treated as necessary updates because of how often we use them and how often they are exploited online. These are generally updates where you are prompted to install the update also.
Generally these prompts come from an icon in the lower, right-corner of your PC.
Also - when installing Java and Adobe updates watch out for additional software that is offered. This additional software is not bad, but it may not be necessary either. Both Java and Adobe Acrobat are free and the companies that support them create marketing opportunities with other companies to make some money. For example, Java updates offer an install of OpenOffice - a free version of office productivity software like Microsoft Office. It is a great suite of software but you may not need it.