Keeping all devices and applications patched is one of the most effective ways to prevent cyberattacks and protect your data. However, patch management can be challenging, especially for large and complex networks. In this article, you will learn some best practices and tips to keep your systems updated and secure.
Patching is the process of applying updates to software or hardware that fix bugs, vulnerabilities, or improve performance. Patching is essential for cybersecurity, as hackers often exploit known flaws in unpatched systems to gain access, steal data, or cause damage. According to a report by IBM, 60% of data breaches in 2019 involved unpatched vulnerabilities. Therefore, patching is not only a technical task, but also a strategic and operational one.
The most effective way to keep all devices and applications patched is to implement a comprehensive patch management strategy. Here's how: 1 Utilize automated patch management tools for streamlined updates. 2 Establish a regular patching schedule, prioritizing critical vulnerabilities. 3 Test patches in a controlled environment before deployment. 4 Implement centralized patch management systems for efficient oversight. 5 Stay informed about new patches through vendor notifications and industry alerts. 6 Educate users about the importance of prompt patch installation and monitor patch compliance regularly.
As the saying goes, "You are only as strong as your weakest link". Patching ensures your weakest link is always strengthened and reinforced. Patching matters because it ensures that points of entry into your system are significantly minimised.
A bad patching process within a company is close to the #1 reason cyberincidents occur. Very often software suppliers have provided patches for known CVE's years before they're actually applied by companies. Unless you're trying to create honeypots this is not a best practice. Patch fast and patch often should be the company wide policy.
Old tech doesn't protect against new threats, so patching is essential for security. There's so much money in cybercrime that criminals are highly motivated to find new vulnerabilities in software. Manufacturers also offer incentives to hackers to report vulnerabilities to them first. When vulnerabilities are exposed, then patches are made available as quickly as possible. As long as you get the patch, then you'll be safe with respect to that vulnerability. It's a bit of a cat and mouse game, and it never ends - new vulnerability, new patch - get it done as quickly as possible.
One effective strategy for ensuring all devices and applications remain patched is by establishing a comprehensive patch management system. This involves regularly monitoring for updates released by vendors, prioritizing patches based on criticality and relevance to our organization's infrastructure, and scheduling routine maintenance windows for deployment. Additionally, employing automated patch deployment tools can streamline the process and help minimize the risk of vulnerabilities. Consistent communication and collaboration across teams are also essential to ensure timely implementation and minimize disruptions to operations.
Before you start patching, you need to assess your patching needs and priorities. This involves identifying and inventorying all your devices and applications, as well as their dependencies and interconnections. You also need to classify them according to their criticality, risk, and impact. For example, you may want to patch your servers, firewalls, and databases more frequently and urgently than your printers, scanners, and laptops. You also need to monitor and evaluate the availability and quality of patches from vendors and developers.
KB ARTICLE CONTRIBUTION #106: A good place to start assessing your patching needs, is to do Internet Research on Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE's), plus review the severity of the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) in order to determine what updates need to be rolled out first.
This looks making sense but actually difficult to execute. What are most critical got most hurdles from stakeholders and have most delay. A better approach could start from defining KPIs first. For example: 1. Accumulated threat time exposure 2. Pre-patch backup rate 3. Test coverage for patches 4. Patch related application change 5. Patch induced interruptions 6. Accepted patch skipping By setting up KPI, we can understand the interdependence of metric and therefore driving the correct actions.
Prior to initiating the patching process, a thorough assessment of patching needs and priorities is imperative. This includes creating an inventory of all devices and applications, considering their dependencies and connections. Classification based on criticality, risk, and impact is essential; for instance, servers and databases might require more urgent and frequent patching compared to printers or scanners. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of patch availability and quality from vendors are also critical steps in this assessment.
Once you have assessed your patching needs, you need to plan and schedule your patching activities. This involves defining and documenting your patching policies, procedures, and roles. You also need to communicate and coordinate with your stakeholders, such as users, managers, and vendors. You need to balance the urgency of patching with the potential disruption and downtime it may cause. You may want to use a patch management tool or a patch management service to automate and streamline your patching process.
KB ARTICLE CONTRIBUTION #107: A standard request for change (RFC) ticket should be submitted and discussed in an RFC Meeting, before applying any patches, or an emergency RFC Ticket should be created when deploying system changes immediately in order to protect against severe threats.
Before you apply patches to your production environment, you need to test and deploy them in a controlled and isolated environment. This will help you verify the functionality and compatibility of the patches, as well as identify and resolve any issues or conflicts. You also need to backup your data and configuration before patching, in case you need to roll back or restore. You need to follow a patch deployment strategy that suits your network architecture and business needs, such as phased, parallel, or emergency deployment.
KB ARTICLE CONTRIBUTION #108: I remember when Microsoft rolled out one of their patch Tuesday updates, which caused two brands of printers to crash with blue screen of death errors (BSOD's) every time the end-user attempted to print a document, therby resulting in massive frustration from lost work and rolling back the driver was implemented as a work-a-round until the vendor resolved the issue.
Na, stell dir mal vor, du renovierst dein Haus. Bevor du die Abrissbirne schwingst, checkst du doch sicher, ob die neuen M?bel auch durch die Tür passen, oder? Genauso ist das mit dem Patchen. Bevor du die Updates aufspielst, testest du sie in einer isolierten Umgebung, guckst, ob alles passt und sicherst deine Daten für den Fall der F?lle. Denn nix ist ?rgerlicher, als nach dem Patchen festzustellen, dass nichts mehr geht, oder?
After you have applied patches to your systems, you need to monitor and audit your patching results and performance. This involves checking and verifying that the patches have been installed correctly and successfully, as well as measuring and reporting the patching metrics and outcomes. You also need to scan and assess your systems for any remaining or new vulnerabilities, as well as any anomalies or incidents. You need to review and update your patching policies and procedures based on your feedback and lessons learned.
KB ARTICLE CONTRIBUTION #109: Information technology service management (ITSM) tools like Ivanti can be used to report which system patches have been applied, plus you can create queries there to find missing patches, or find machines with outdated operating systems (OS's) that either need to be manually updated or need to be added to an exception list in the event of specialized vendor software/equipment that only runs on that OS.
To effectively monitor and audit patching processes: Automated Tracking: Implement automated tools to track and log patch deployments. Centralized Monitoring: Use a centralized system for real-time monitoring of patch status across the network. Regular Audits: Conduct regular audits to ensure patch compliance and identify gaps. Patch Reports: Generate comprehensive reports detailing applied patches, pending updates, and any issues. Vulnerability Scans: Integrate vulnerability scans to identify unpatched systems and prioritize critical updates. User Feedback: Gather feedback from end-users to detect any unexpected issues post-patching, ensuring a thorough monitoring and audit process.
Patching is not only a technical process, but also a human one. You need to educate and train your staff on the importance and benefits of patching, as well as the risks and consequences of not patching. You also need to provide them with the necessary skills and tools to perform patching tasks and responsibilities, as well as to follow patching best practices and guidelines. You need to foster a culture of patching awareness and compliance among your staff, as well as to reward and recognize their efforts and achievements.
Stell dir vor, du spielst ein gigantisches Spiel, das berühmte 'Patch-Mania'. Jeder in deinem Team muss wissen, wie man das Spiel spielt und warum es wichtig ist, es richtig zu machen. Also schulst du sie, gibst ihnen die Werkzeuge und den Support, den sie brauchen, und belohnst sie, wenn sie gro?artige Leistungen erbringen. Nur so kann man sicherstellen, dass jeder auf dem Patch-Train mitf?hrt und das Team gewinnt!
Patching is effective way of vulnerability remediation. First of all, the asset inventory must be holistic (h/w assets, software, IOT devices etc) and there must be a clear patch mgmt policy that defines the patch mgmt criteria, schedule, change mgmt, roles and responsibilities etc. The deviations from this policy should be clearly documented, approved and any risk arising from these deviation should be accepted clearly.
The most effective way to keep all devices patched is to implement a centralized patch management system. This system should include automated patch deployment, regular vulnerability scanning, prioritization of critical updates, and comprehensive testing before deployment to ensure minimal disruption to operations. Maintaining an up-to-date inventory of all hardware and software assets to ensure that no device or application is overlooked during patching. Additionally, establishing a clear policy for patching schedules and procedures across all devices will help maintain consistency and efficiency in keeping devices with the latest security patches. And finally user awareness about the importance of patching it of prime importance too.
Regular patching of systems and applications is crucial to mitigate vulnerabilities and protect against cyber threats. Here are a few strategies for effective patch management. 1. Establish clear security policies outlining patching procedures and responsibilities for all users and IT personnel. 2. Conduct regular vulnerability scans to identify weak points and prioritize patching based on severity. 3. Implement testing procedures to validate patches before deployment to minimize potential disruptions or conflicts. 4. Utilize centralized patch management tools to streamline the process across multiple devices and applications. 5. Enable automatic updates for operating systems and applications to ensure patches are applied promptly.
While all aspects are taken care of updates need to be periodic and automatic. The updates and upgrades for patch managements must involve no SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) but have a seamless integrated system. These must happen or scheduled in off working hours for giving BAU (Business As Usual) feel to the users and also for the company to function normally. Regular monitoring for compliances and verification must also be kept in mind.
The statement how to keep all devices and applications patched is a bit of a utopia :) .. you need to assess which patches are critical and which can be applied without breaking your system via testing. In an ideal world everything would get patched but this rarely happens. Put in compensating controls where patching cannot occur