Software is seldom done the first time.
In fact, any application available today may need to be updated or patched to fix bugs, address vulnerabilities, and update key functionality at multiple points in the future.
Get a robust patch management platform to identify, test, deploy, install, and document all appropriate patches, as a typical enterprise relies on numerous applications, servers, and endpoint devices in their day-to-day operations is important. It is important to ensure system stability and security.
As with most technical tools, not all patch management solutions are created equal, and what is considered robust by one organization may prove inadequate by another. There is a possibility. However, by starting the evaluation by focusing on certain key criteria—the required attributes and features that are likely to be offered by many, but not all, vendors—you can ensure that your IT team is ready for your organization’s patches. You can narrow down your choices when identifying the best solution. management needs.
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The ability of a patch management tool to maintain an inventory of all patchable systems is essential to managing patches at all levels. Important information to track includes:
- Operating system and application
- Current and past versions
- patch group
- Patch dependencies.
Where the inventory resides (is it part of a patch system or can it reside within an existing configuration system) is also an important consideration.
Lifecycle management
Combined with DevOps continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) processes, the patch lifecycle becomes part of software development for internal applications. However, be aware that patch lifecycles can have complex dependencies. For example, on Linux operating systems, the platform must determine if a patch can be applied or if an existing patch should be removed before a new patch can be applied, at which point the original patch is removed. You can reinstall.
patch test
To determine the impact of a patch on existing systems, patch management tools must be able to deploy patches for testing in a closed environment. This includes the ability to enable debug-level logging during patch installation to ensure errors are not suppressed, and to identify the cause of failure if errors occur. is needed. Decision makers should also determine whether testing on isolated systems, pilot groups, or ideally in an air-gapped environment is supported to validate the patch.
Deploy patch
The solution should be able to deploy patches to all targeted systems, including determining the appropriate deployment policies, groups, and methods for items to be patched. Ideally, pre-scripts and post-scripts can be called during deployment to accommodate service or application shutdowns, backup processes, or checkpoints, tests, and restarts. The testing process should also be completed before the node is added back into the load balancer rotation.
authoritative source
The patch management tool should be able to know who the authoritative uploaders and publishers are, be able to validate patches, and support an onsite repository of validated and authoritative patches. Using distributed on-site repositories is optimal for both performance and security purposes, but it is an expected condition to use both vendor repositories and on-site repositories. Tools that rely solely on vendor repositories have the least desirable storage environment.
Prioritize patches
A patch management solution should be able to automatically or manually prioritize patch deployments. If setting patch priorities requires a manual process, it is important to know the data sources used. If a vendor provides priorities, it’s important to understand how the patch system uses this information. Using Vendor Priorities, CVEs, and Contingency as Needed (Zero-Day Patching) provides enterprises with the most complete patch management solution.
Patching architecture
Patching can utilize agent or agentless scanning methods. A system with only agentless methods is the least desirable as it negatively impacts network and CPU performance. However, although the use of agents is assumed, solutions utilizing both agent and agentless approaches offer the most flexibility.
Third party support
An enterprise patching solution must be able to patch third-party applications, especially on desktops and laptops. This is because they can be vectors for viruses, malware, or ransomware. Obviously, the ability to support all popular applications from major companies like Adobe, Microsoft, etc. is non-negotiable. But ideally, third-party support would be broad and include the ability to support patching of in-house applications.
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As businesses and organizations are forced to deal with an increasingly dangerous environment of ransomware and other cyberthreats, identifying effective patch management solutions is critical to ensuring safe and efficient operations. Extremely important. However, as the space is flooded with vendors, determining which solution best fits a particular enterprise’s needs is becoming more complex.
Vendor selection becomes more of a process than simple vendor selection as not all companies have a single patch management solution. However, once the search for patch management solutions begins with a focus on key criteria that are considered non-negotiable, decision makers are left with a short list of vendors and solutions that are most likely to meet their organization’s needs. It puts you in a better position to build your list.
Looking for more guidance? Be sure to download the latest report from Syxsense and Gigaom: Key Criteria for Evaluating Patch Management.
