Vulnerability Management (Patching)

Patch Management is the process of distributing and applying updates to software. These patches are often necessary to correct security vulnerabilities (CVEs) and bugs in the software.

System Scanner

Vulnerability Scanner

Ready to scan...

Web Server 01

Ubuntu 20.04

System Secure

DB Cluster

CentOS 7

System Secure

Load Balancer

Nginx 1.18

System Secure

Dev Workstation

Windows 10

System Secure

Interactive: Run a scan to find vulnerable servers. Click "Deploy Patch" to update the OS and fix the critical security flaws.

The Risk Window

DisclosureA vulnerability is found and publicly announced (e.g., Log4Shell). Hackers start scanning immediately.
Gap AnalysisThe time between the vulnerability announcement and when you apply the patch is your "Window of Exposure."
ExploitationUnpatched systems are easy targets. Automated bots can compromise thousands of servers in hours.

Best Practices

Asset InventoryYou can't patch what you don't know you have. Maintain a complete list of all hardware and software.

PrioritizationFocus on Critical/High severity CVEs on internet-facing systems first.

Test Before DeployPatches can break things. Test in a staging environment before rolling out to production.