When shopping for something where all the choices look similar, the feeling of choice paralysis creeps over you. This can happen when shopping for electronics, computer parts, or a pair of shoes. Choice paralysis occurs when a person finds it very difficult and stressful to make a decision with the available information. Applying security patches in Linux is a relaxing and rewarding experience when you have confidence in your process.
Let’s be honest. Patching is tedious work. In a recent patching study by Ponemon and ServiceNow, it was revealed that 65% of businesses say that it is difficult to prioritize patches. Even after applying a patch, the patch management process doesn’t end there. Sometimes, new patches create more problems than they fix. This step-by-step guide prepares for such situations and explains how to uninstall a problematic patch.
According to Wired, around 67% of web servers worldwide use Linux OS, and the main reason behind using Linux OS is as follows: Linux comes with better security, but still, it is susceptible to malware attacks because newly discovered vulnerabilities, you require Linux patching for your organization to witness exceptional security. The importance of Linux patching is tremendous for any organization.
Vulnerability management should be among the highest priorities of organizations, especially within their IT environments. Skybox Security reports, “vulnerabilities have more than tripled over the past ten years.” With this exponential increase, they also report that cybercrime has continuously evolved and become a more complex threat. Vulnerability management aims to assert a level of control over this ever-present issue in the IT space.
Around 57% of data breaches are attributed to poor patch management. This stat clearly attributes to the need for patch management to keep the organization safe by mitigating security vulnerabilities. Without the right patch management software, it becomes difficult for organizations to identify critical updates. Only implementing a patch management process is not enough for any organization to win the game.
The second decade of the 21st century witnessed an unprecedented paradigm shift in the educational sphere. With the onset of the pandemic, conventional ideas of an educational institution gave way to a far modernized and on-the-go approach. Joining class and listening to teachers’ lectures on Zoom or through Microsoft Teams is now the new norm.
A ServiceNow study carried out by the Ponemon Institute reports, “An alarming 57% of cyberattack victims report that their breaches could have been prevented by installing an available patch.” Patch management is the process of organizing, testing, and applying patches to your organization’s assets.
Software patching is the important process of deploying updates. These updates are often released to resolve security vulnerabilities and exploits that could lead to a cyberattack. In fact, many high-profile cyberattacks could have been minimized or avoided altogether if not for unpatched software -- which is why patch management is a critical part of cybersecurity best practices and compliance. As cybersecurity regulations continue to roll out, new standards are being created for patch management.
There’s no doubt that patching is tedious work. However, CNP technologies’ article on the importance of patching points out that “74% of companies say they simply can’t patch fast enough because the average time to patch is 102 days.” Understanding the patch management lifecycle is the first step that organizations take towards optimizing patching processes and creating a more secure IT environment.
Patching is an essential function within any MSP or IT department, so maintaining a successful patch management process is a top priority for organizations. A patch management audit allows organizations to analyze and adjust their patching processes to make them more effective. Use this patch management audit checklist to evaluate and improve your current patch management process.
