Patch management is an essential service for every business with a network and operating system. When your system updates, it will likely have some minor issues or vulnerabilities embedded in the update. “Patches” are temporary solutions for the vulnerable places in your network/system until an update to correct the issue is available.Without patch management services, these issues or vulnerabilities may go unnoticed for a while, and you run the risk of your system being hacked and data compromised. A secure network and system is necessary for any successful business, and patch management is a way to give your clients, employees, and business assurance of their privacy and security.
What It Is
Patch Management is a program that finds, forms, and fills patches in a system to keep out hackers who may try to exploit these weak spots in your network. When it discovers these holes, it fills them with the available software code, called a “patch”, to keep it safe from potential hackers who would use the weak spot(s) to infiltrate your system/network. Patch management keeps your system secure by searching for these software vulnerabilities, replacing them with patches, and defending your system/network.
What It Does
Patch management programs can be installed on a central administrative computer and be distributed across the devices on the shared network. The program then scans and determines what updates each system needs, what it’s missing, how to fix it, and works to solve the problem. It also analyzes which updates are important and when they need to be installed.
Why It’s Important
Networks operating without patch management are twice as vulnerable to security risks and hacking. Patch management is essential to any IT budget for numerous reasons, especially for network security. Other benefits of patch management include increased productivity, compliance, and staying up-to-date. Having the latest updates significantly reduces the risk of computer crashes that prevent your employees from being able to work and keeps your company in compliance with various business regulations requiring your system to be as secure as possible for your system/network’s sake as well as your clients’.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
By applying patches, your employees stay productive and your software is always up-to-date. Updated software is important not only for productivity but also for your company’s compliance to policies/regulations that require these updates and patches to comply with their security standards. Your system is also at significantly less risk of attack and hacker infiltration when patch management is at work.