Ensuring that your business carries out timely patch management is essential to safeguard against the risks of cyberattacks and data breaches. Although it can be a time-consuming process, neglecting it could leave your system vulnerable to security issues. Patch management involves the installation of fixes released by software manufacturers to address such concerns that arise after their products hit the market. Staying up to date with these patches is crucial for ensuring that your software is equipped with the most recent security enhancements and features. In addition, patch management can improve system uptime and help maintain compliance with relevant regulations. Gorelo RMM Software and PSA can help you monitor and track the possible risks associated.
The practice of managing patches involves the systematic downloading, testing and installation of updates to software with the aim of rectifying existing bugs and enhancing security. Hence, staying up to date with the latest developments in software can help ensure that available patches are promptly applied to your system. This proactive approach aids in the prevention of negative consequences of security vulnerabilities by ensuring that your software is functioning optimally.
Creating a thoughtful plan for managing your software patches can bring substantial advantages. Such a plan can minimize your security risks and always keep your organization’s systems as secure as possible. Neglecting to promptly patch your software can leave your system exposed to malicious attackers, which can have damaging consequences for your business. Therefore, taking patch management seriously is essential to ensure that your organization remains secure and free from significant issues. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that patching software is merely one aspect of system security.
Best Patch Management Practices
Regrettably, keeping up with the most recent patches and ensuring their application can be time-consuming and demanding. As a result, establishing a reliable patch management strategy and integrating best practices becomes crucial. It is necessary to take all possible measures to streamline patch management procedures and guarantee the constant safety and security of your systems. Now we will be discussing patch management best practices along with tips to make their execution smooth and efficient.
CREATE PATCH MANAGEMENT POLICIES
Developing policies for patch management can create a structure for efficient and effective patching processes. Such policies may include guidelines for determining when and under what conditions patches will be implemented, as well as established timeframes for deploying them. To minimize disruption to business operations, it may be preferable to schedule patch updates during off-hours such as lunch breaks, evenings, or weekends, while also being prepared to handle emergency situations. Additionally, configuring notifications to alert system administrators if patches are deployed during non-business hours can help identify and address any system issues promptly.
INVENTORY AND CONSOLIDATE YOUR SYSTEMS
Creating a thorough inventory of all hardware and software employed by your organization is crucial for effective patch management. Understanding what needs protection is only possible once you have compiled a comprehensive list of your software, operating systems, and devices. It is vital to identify any legacy systems in use that may require replacement with more modern technology. Additionally, some software may lack automatic updates, and the risk level may be considerably higher when utilizing third-party applications.
To ensure the security of your systems, it is important to include antivirus and firewall applications in your list of security measures and keep them up to date with the latest versions and configurations. It is also recommended to regularly update this list to ensure that all necessary security measures are in place. A helpful tip is to consolidate your software applications into a company-wide user strategy to avoid the need for deploying multiple patches. By revisiting your needs and limiting the usage of company-approved software, you can prevent application sprawl and improve the overall security of your systems.
CATEGORIZE AND ASSIGN RISK LEVELS
Upon analyzing your inventory, it appears that multiple patches may be past their deployment deadline. To ensure optimal deployment, it’s recommended to first categorize your assets. Next, assign risk levels to each category to prioritize which patches are of higher importance to deploy. This will facilitate determining the systems that require immediate patch deployment and those that can wait. Starting with lower risk patches wastes time and endangers your system security, hence it’s important to prioritize the patch order based on assigned risk levels.
MONITOR VENDOR PATCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Staying informed about software vendor patch announcements is crucial. For instance, Microsoft tends to release significant patches for a host of its products, including Windows 10, Windows 7, and Microsoft Office, every second Tuesday of the month, which is commonly referred to as “Patch Tuesday.” Other vendors such as Adobe and Oracle follow suit and make use of this day for updates as well.
Typically, vendors post notifications and email administrators about updates. To quickly search the available patches, a lot of patch management software providers have their databases. However, going through the multitude of software patches can be a time-consuming and inefficient process. Most businesses find working with a managed services provider to be the best way to keep up with vendor patches.
AUTOMATE PATCHING
Implementing an automated system for patch management is highly recommended to ensure your business stays protected against cybersecurity threats. Utilizing automated patch management tools can provide a simple and efficient way to promptly apply software updates as soon as they become available.
ANTICIPATE PATCH EXCEPTIONS
When it comes to software patching, timely updates are crucial for protecting your system against potential attacks. The degree of exposure to risk determines the urgency of patching. In cases where you cannot apply a patch immediately, workarounds may need to be implemented to facilitate the patching process.
To limit potential damage, it’s important to take steps to protect unpatched software or servers from internet exposure while waiting for the patch to be applied. This may involve restricting user access until the patch can be implemented successfully.
TEST PATCHES FIRST
Testing patches before deployment is critical to ensure that they do not cause any harm to your system or create new security vulnerabilities. It is advisable to test patches in a controlled environment that mimics your production environment to avoid any potential issues that could affect your business. Once small tests are successful, full patch deployment can begin.
CREATE A BACKUP
It is customary to create a backup of your production environment before implementing significant system changes. It is recommended that full system backups be executed, which comprise of all data and modifications made to current software. Employing a backup and restoration plan in the event of an unsuccessful patch deployment will allow for the system to be reverted to its original, unpatched condition.
APPLY PATCHES ASAP
After completing testing and backups, you may proceed with patching according to your organization’s patch management policies. It is imperative to prioritize operating system patches as leaving system vulnerabilities unaddressed can have severe consequences on both your company and sensitive information. The sequence in which you carry out subsequent patches should conform to your business priorities and protocols already in place.
DOCUMENT NEW PATCH APPLICATIONS
Maintaining proper categorization and documentation of the patches that are deployed, and communicating any system or operational changes to staff and stakeholders is essential. It is important to keep accurate records to avoid any confusion regarding the appropriate deployment of patches.
