While working from home, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) needs to open reports from accounting software. When the application opens, the CFO sees the error `Unable to connect to database`. Which of the following should the CFO do first?

While ensuring the application is up to date is important for functionality, it is not the immediate priority when encountering a database connection error. If the VPN connection is compromised, updating the application would not resolve the connectivity issue.

Returning to the office may allow the CFO to access the database directly, but it is an impractical solution that consumes time and resources. The CFO should first troubleshoot the remote access issue, as it is preferable to resolve the problem without having to leave home.

Restarting the PC may help resolve some generic software issues; however, it is not directly related to the inability to connect to the database. This step does not address the potential issue with the VPN, which is more likely the root cause of the error message.