Patch management explained

Patch management is concerned with the identification, acquisition, distribution, and installation of patches to systems. Proper patch management can be a net productivity boost for the organization. Patches can be used to defend against and eliminate potential vulnerabilities of a system, so that no threats may exploit them. Problems that can arise during patch management, including buggy patches that either fail to fix their problem or introduce new issues. Patch management tools can help orchestrate all of the procedures involved in patch management.

Description

Patch management is defined as a sub-practice of various disciplines including vulnerability management (part of security management), lifecycle management (with further possible sub-classification into application lifecycle management and release management), change management, and systems management. The practice is broadly concerned with the identification, acquisition, distribution, and installation of patches to systems. Some definitions of patch management are as a software-level practice,[1] while others are as a systems-level process: software, drivers, and firmware.[2] [3] [4]

Cost–benefit analysis

While reserving time for patching takes up enterprise resources, there are balancing factors which can make proper patch management into a net productivity boost for the organization. Up-to-date systems often perform more efficiently, less expensively, with less errors, less security risks, and better user workflow. Additionally, compliance with changing local and federal regulations are more likely to be satisfied.[1] [2] [3] [4]

Relation to security management

Patches can be used to defend against and eliminate potential vulnerabilities of a system, so that no threats may exploit them; therefore, patch management can be considered a sub-discipline of vulnerability management. Every device in a system presents an attack surface that must be secured.

Challenges

There are a multitude of problems that can arise during patch management. A common issue is buggy patches, which either fail to fix their problem or introduce new issues. Another issue is deployment synchronization, since various subsystems may receive instructions to update at different times. Similarly, the difficulty of patch management across many devices may grow at an uncontrollable rate depending on organizational size.

One prominent demonstration of the challenges facing proper patch management was the buggy Falcon Sensor patch by CrowdStrike which caused one of the worst IT outages of all time.[5]

Implementations

A patch management tool (alternatively patch manager, patch management system, patch management software, or centralized patch management) help orchestrate all of the procedures involved in patch management. Tools can be in-house (applied locally by local administrators), or external, as with managed service providers (applied externally by a provider).

Patch management software

Managed service providers

See main article: article and Managed service provider.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Patch Management: Definition & Best Practices . Rapid7 . 15 July 2024.
  2. Web site: What Is Patch Management? . Intel . 15 July 2024.
  3. Web site: What is patch management? Lifecycle, benefits and best practices . David Essex . Brien Posey . TechTarget . 15 July 2024.
  4. Web site: What is patch management? . 20 December 2022 . IBM . 15 July 2024.
  5. Web site: Milmo . Dan . Kollewe . Julia . Quinn . Ben . Taylor . Josh . Ibrahim . Mimi . 'Largest IT outage in history' hits Microsoft Windows and causes global chaos . The Guardian . 19 July 2024 . 19 July 2024.
  6. Web site: Windows Patch Management Best Practices For 2023 . Firch . Jason . 30 March 2023 . PurpleSec . 15 July 2024.