Patch management guide for businesses
Unpatched software is the number one exploitable weakness in any organization. Learn why patching matters, how to build a patch management program, and which tools can automate the process for your business.
The Basics
What is patch management?
Patch management is the process of identifying, acquiring, testing, and deploying software updates (patches) to fix security vulnerabilities, bugs, and performance issues in operating systems, applications, and firmware. A patch is simply a piece of code that a software vendor releases to fix a problem in their product.
When security researchers or vendors discover a vulnerability in software, the vendor develops a patch to fix it and publishes a security advisory. The vulnerability and its patch are assigned a CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) identifier and rated for severity. From the moment the vulnerability is publicly disclosed, a race begins: will you apply the patch before an attacker exploits the vulnerability?
Effective patch management is not just clicking “Update” when prompted. It requires a systematic approach that covers every device and application in your environment, prioritizes patches by risk, tests for compatibility, deploys within defined timeframes, and verifies successful installation. For most organizations, this is impossible without automation.
60%
of breaches involve unpatched vulnerabilities
The majority of successful cyberattacks exploit known vulnerabilities for which patches already exist. Timely patching would have prevented these breaches entirely.
15 days
average time attackers need after disclosure
Once a vulnerability is publicly disclosed, attackers typically develop a working exploit within two weeks. If you have not patched by then, you are exposed.
25,000+
new vulnerabilities discovered per year
The number of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) published annually continues to grow. Keeping up requires a systematic, automated approach to patching.
43%
of small businesses have no patch process
Nearly half of small businesses have no formal patch management process, leaving them vulnerable to attacks that automated patching would prevent.
Real-World Impact
What happens when patches are not applied
These major incidents were all caused by known, patched vulnerabilities. In each case, the fix was available before the attack occurred.
WannaCry (2017)
Infected 230,000+ computers across 150 countries in a single day, causing billions in damages to hospitals, businesses, and governments.
Key Lesson
Microsoft released the patch two months before WannaCry struck. Every infected organization could have been protected by a timely Windows update.
Log4Shell (2021)
A critical vulnerability in the ubiquitous Log4j logging library allowed remote code execution. Affected millions of applications from cloud services to enterprise software.
Key Lesson
Third-party library dependencies create hidden vulnerabilities. Organizations must maintain an inventory of all software components and their patch status.
MOVEit (2023)
A SQL injection vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer tool was exploited by the Cl0p ransomware gang, affecting over 2,500 organizations and exposing data of 80+ million individuals.
Key Lesson
File transfer tools that handle sensitive data are high-value targets. Critical patches for internet-facing applications must be applied within hours, not days.
Equifax Breach (2017)
The personal data of 147 million Americans was stolen because Equifax failed to patch a known Apache Struts vulnerability for over two months after the patch was available.
Key Lesson
A single unpatched web application can compromise an entire organization. Equifax paid over $1.4 billion in total costs from this preventable breach.
Best Practices
Patch management best practices
A mature patch management program follows these principles to minimize risk and maintain compliance.
Maintain a Complete Asset Inventory
You cannot patch what you do not know about. Maintain an up-to-date inventory of every device, operating system, application, and firmware version on your network. Include cloud services, third-party plugins, and browser extensions. Automated discovery tools can help identify shadow IT and unmanaged devices.
Categorize and Prioritize
Not all patches carry equal urgency. Use the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) to prioritize patches by severity. Critical vulnerabilities (CVSS 9.0-10.0) in internet-facing systems should be patched within 24-48 hours. High-severity patches within one week. Medium and low-severity patches within 30 days.
Test Before Deploying
Deploy patches to a test environment before rolling them out to production. This identifies compatibility issues, performance problems, or application conflicts before they affect your entire organization. For small businesses, test on a single machine first before deploying to all systems.
Establish a Regular Patch Cycle
Set a recurring schedule for patch deployment. Many organizations align with Microsoft Patch Tuesday (second Tuesday of each month) as their baseline cycle. Critical and zero-day patches should be deployed outside the regular cycle as emergency updates.
Automate Where Possible
Manual patching does not scale and introduces human error and delays. Use automated patch management tools to scan for missing patches, download updates, deploy them during maintenance windows, and verify successful installation. Automation is the only reliable way to keep up with the volume of patches released.
Include Third-Party Applications
Operating system patches are only part of the picture. Applications like Adobe Acrobat, Java, web browsers, Zoom, and dozens of other tools each have their own vulnerabilities and update cycles. Third-party patching is often neglected and represents a significant attack surface.
Document and Report
Maintain records of what was patched, when, and on which systems. Generate reports showing your patch compliance rate (percentage of systems fully patched). This documentation is required for IRS, HIPAA, and other compliance frameworks and demonstrates due diligence in the event of an incident.
Plan for Legacy Systems
Some systems cannot be patched because they run end-of-life software or proprietary applications that break with updates. For these systems, implement compensating controls: network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, application whitelisting, and a documented plan to migrate to supported platforms.
Tools
Patch management automation tools
The right tool depends on your organization's size, budget, and technical resources. Here are proven options for each tier.
Small Business (1-50 Devices)
Windows Update for Business
Built into Windows 10/11 Pro and Enterprise. Allows IT administrators to defer and schedule updates, set maintenance windows, and pause problematic updates. Free and requires no additional software.
Ninite Pro
Automatically updates over 100 popular third-party applications like Chrome, Firefox, Java, and Adobe Reader. Simple agent-based deployment with no server required. Affordable per-device pricing for small teams.
Action1
Cloud-based patch management platform that is free for up to 200 endpoints. Handles both OS and third-party patching with vulnerability scanning, compliance reporting, and remote deployment.
Mid-Size Business (50-500 Devices)
Microsoft Intune
Cloud-based endpoint management that handles patching, configuration, and security for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices. Integrates with Azure Active Directory and Microsoft 365 for unified management.
ConnectWise Automate
RMM (Remote Monitoring and Management) platform used by many managed service providers. Includes automated patch management, scripting, and monitoring with detailed compliance reporting.
NinjaOne
Unified IT management platform with automated patching for Windows, macOS, and 100+ third-party applications. Cloud-native with no on-premises infrastructure required. Strong reporting and compliance documentation.
Enterprise (500+ Devices)
Microsoft SCCM/MECM
System Center Configuration Manager (now Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager) is the enterprise standard for Windows patching. Handles complex deployment scenarios, custom patch packages, and detailed compliance reporting at scale.
Ivanti Patch Management
Enterprise-grade solution that patches Windows, macOS, Linux, and hundreds of third-party applications. Includes risk-based prioritization using vulnerability intelligence and predictive analytics.
Qualys VMDR
Vulnerability Management, Detection, and Response platform that combines vulnerability scanning with integrated patch deployment. Prioritizes patches based on real-world exploitability and asset criticality.
Stop leaving the door open to attackers
Let our team assess your current patch status, identify unpatched vulnerabilities, and implement automated patch management that keeps your systems protected.
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