Patch Management: Not as Simple as it Sounds
To the untrained observer, patch management should be as simple as clicking “yes” to the reminder button that pops up on your screen at the most inopportune times. Sure, you’ll have to reboot your machine to complete the installation, but a little break in the middle of the workday isn’t so bad, right?
Well, it’s not such a simple process when an organization is monitoring its fleet of computers inside and outside of the facility for its entire workforce. And there isn’t just one patch to consider for one program — every piece of hardware or software can have thousands of patches appear at any given time for every machine in the network.
Letting patches sit unchecked seems like an last-resort solution, but the vulnerabilities you expose yourself to can be far worse. Major cyberattacks like Equifax, NotPetya and Wannacry war caused by companies leaving their systems unpatched for too long. In all three cases, the attack used security flaws for which a patch had already been issued – but the victims hadn’t applied it in time.
The sheer number of patches available can make it seem like an overwhelming task. For example, since the start of 2019, Microsoft has issued over 10,000 updates and patches for its Windows, Office, SQL Server and Exchange Server suites of products. If you include the patches and updates from the countless other vendors and suppliers that typically account for a business’s IT environment and that number of patches could reach six figures.
There’s also the possibility that patch management could lead to downtime. IT teams have to ensure that applying a patch to one system won’t break the compatibility between it and any interdependent systems.
Your best bet for your patch management is to entrust an IT consultant like 2W Tech, especially since we specialize in security solutions.. We can guide your patching needs to ensure everything is running smoothly with minimal downtime while keeping interoperability in place. 2W Tech is a full-service IT Consulting firm that specializes in solutions for the manufacturing industry. We are also a Microsoft Gold Partner. Contact us today for more information.
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