The cybersecurity landscape in 2023 was increasingly complex, marked by sophisticated types of cyber threats such as ransomware and cyber espionage. Over half of the high-risk vulnerabilities were exploited by threat actors, with ransomware payouts averaging a significant $1,542,333, up from $812,380 in 2022. Phishing attacks dominated, accounting for over 80% of incidents, and 57% of organizations experienced frequent phishing attempts. Additionally, 4,000 ransomware attacks occurred daily since 2016.

As a recovering practitioner, one of the things I was always less than thrilled to do was patching. I dreaded having to run updates, ensure everything was configured correctly, and finding windows of time to reboot without knocking an application offline. Just like your cloud workloads — everything changes when it has to be done at scale. Kubernetes has always been built around the DevOps concepts of rapid development, delivery, and iteration.

Patch management software automatically applies updates to software, firmware, and other system components. Patching makes sure resources are up to date with the latest security and performance improvements to keep software protected and performing as expected.

In today’s interconnected world, the digital landscape is evolving rapidly, but so are the threats that lurk within it. Cyber threats have become more sophisticated and pervasive, targeting organizations of all sizes and industries. This reality underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures, including regular software updates with concerns in regards to the risks of delayed patching.

The two main ways to improve software are through patches and updates. While some may use the terms interchangeably, they are distinct processes that serve different purposes. By recognizing the differences between patches vs updates, software developers can effectively prioritize and communicate the nature of their releases, and your IT department can easily implement its patch management solution.

Because we live in an era where digital security is under constant threat from evolving cyber risks, effective patch management is more critical than ever. This strategy is not just about keeping systems up-to-date – it’s a comprehensive approach to safeguarding IT infrastructures against a spectrum of cyber threats, ensuring systems remain secure, compliant, and operationally efficient.

N-central’s first release of 2024 will bring a very welcome addition to the product for anyone responsible for Patch Management in the form of CVSS scores.

In the realm of information technology and cybersecurity, the regular updating of software is a cornerstone of operational integrity and security posture. The critical importance of software updates transcends mere IT maintenance; it is a strategic imperative in today’s digital ecosystem.