Vulnerability management is complex and can sometimes overwhelm IT security teams. This is because of the ever-increasing Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) in the threat landscape that can impact various system and applications.
The best way to handle vulnerability management's complexity is by enforcing patch management policies. With the right policy and structure, software programs will be free of various performance and security issues.
A patch management policy is a document that summarizes a firm's formal strategy and processes to ensure hardware and software updates are applied promptly across an entire IT infrastructure.
Effective patch management helps rectify and remediate security gaps, that can otherwise allow attackers to compromise the systems and data within an IT environment.
Patch management is vital for facilitating risk-based vulnerability management and is essential for formal IT security compliance standards such as ISO-270001, PCI-DSS, and SOC-2.
A robust policy will ensure that the updates are performed as outlined in the standard procedures. It also specifies clear roles and obligations for all parties involved.
Patch management can be complex, involving compatibility testing, and scheduling downtime. Patch management policies help ensure that business software and underlying infrastructure are free of bugs and vulnerabilities and deliver the most value possible to the enterprise.