Week 7- Patch Management Strategy Research Paper This research paper will focus

Question

Week 7- Patch Management Strategy Research Paper This research paper will focus on issues and concems with Patch Management. With the advent of many types of software and systems, patch management is major nightmare Patching the system may cause the system to crash, and not patching it can leave it vulnerable to attacks. Please research the issues and concens with patch management and provide your views on the topic. Please consider this at an enterprise level where the complexity is increased ex with the increase in the number of systems Paper Requirements APA Format .Number of Pages: Minimum of 3 Pages not including Cover Table of Contents and References Safe-Assignment comparison will be done of Pages: Minimum of 3 Pages not including Cover, Table of Contents and References white paper in the SANS reading rooms would serve as a good start for your research

Explanation / Answer

Patch Management

            Patch management is a strategy for managing patches of or systems management for software applications and technologies. A patch management involves acquiring, testing, and installing multiple patches (code changes) to an administered computer system or organization handles these changes efficiently.

                        Main objective of a patch management program: to create a consistently configured environment that is secure against known vulnerabilities in operating system and application software. Analyze existing programs for any potential lack of these security features or other upgrades. As well as scan the systems in order to understand whether additional patches are needed.

                        Successful patch management programs will vary in design and implementation

Types of Patch Management

Operating system patching

            Maintain patches for Microsoft Windows and other vital operating systems by downloading patches automatically and streamlining patch testing and deployment.

Third-party application patching

            Leverage industry-leading vulnerability content to patch third-party applications like Adobe, Java, and multiple Internet browsers automatically.

Distributed and remote patching

            Patch all devices anywhere across your network, whether they’re on the road, at remote sites, or even asleep. Distribute patches to thousands of machines across your enterprise in minutes with minimal impact to your network.

Issues of Patch Management

·Unexpected Patch Failures:    Most patch management systems are not designed with the capability to detect events in advance which may lead to a patch failure. This means when installing new patches on systems,   these failures leave your system open to vulnerabilities.

·Lack of Mobile Control:         Controlling mobile devices is a huge challenge for IT managers. The ability to implement patches and updates to keep corporate data secure on a mobile device that may or may not be company owned are very common patch management problems.

·Manual Patching:        manually patching every application on every system isn’t a practical solution. This process is very time consuming and vulnerable to human error. The manual processes typically include patch monitoring and updates, patch assessments, creation and distribution of patch packages, installation confirmations, and continual monitoring processes.

·Local Area Networks and VPNs:       mobile and remote users are accessing web-based applications without connecting to the internal network. This typically requires redundant servers and other reduplications technologies which increase costs and leave the system vulnerable to human errors.

·Problems Meeting Compliance Requirements:           Effective patch management plays an important role in meeting specific compliance requirements. This means additional costs for businesses with limited budgets which can lead to hefty fines if the standards are not met.

The six steps for better patch proces

Step 1: Develop an up-to-date inventory of all production systems, including OS types (and versions), IP addresses, physical location, custodian and function.

Step 2: Devise a plan for standardizing production systems to the same version of OS and application software.

Step 3: Make a list of all the security controls you have in place--routers, firewalls, IDSes, AV, etc.--as well as their configurations. Don't forget to include system hardening or nonstandard configurations in your list of controls.

Step 4: Compare reported vulnerabilities against your inventory/control list.

Step 5: Classify the risk. Assess the vulnerability and likelihood of an attack in your environment.

Step 6: Apply the patch, so now you have an updated inventory of systems, a list of controls, a system for collecting and analyzing vulnerability alerts and a risk classification system.

Patch automation and distribution

Establish consistent policies for when each device is patched, even if that device is temporarily remote or disconnected.

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse W
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.