When it comes to applying new patches, timing is one of the most important factors. Once patches are released for known vulnerabilities, hackers quickly get to work developing and sharing exploits that can be used to access unpatched systems, causing data breaches or bringing down your network.
Unfortunately, these exploits are usually developed long before most organizations have applied the patches that would prevent them. It has been found that companies take an average of 100-120 days to patch vulnerabilities, and the probability that a vulnerability has already been exploited hits 90% just 40-60 days after discovery. This means there are often several months between the time that a vulnerability has been exploited and most companies have patched that vulnerability, plenty of time for hackers to wreak havoc on networks.
Unfortunately, you can quickly fall even further behind on their time-to-patch when you consider the large number of 3rd party applications and operating systems present in modern networks. You have to manage patching for all employee devices and associated applications, a tedious task especially considering the proliferation of Shadow IT, unsanctioned applications in your network that you’re not even aware of.
In order to apply all of these patches, you must first identify the patches that are available, determine what versions of each OS are in your infrastructure, and figure out which devices are vulnerable. Then you need to download, test, and install patches to the specific devices that need them, for both on-premise and remote endpoints. This is an extremely time-consuming process, and one that can leave your network vulnerable for months at a time.
In order to fully prevent attacks stemming from known vulnerabilities, you need a real time patch management solution that can identify and apply patches as soon as they are released. This type of automated solution for patching has been around for many years, but legacy and vendor-provided tools are limited in scope, cumbersome, expensive, and require complex scripting to set up correctly. IT departments often struggle with the setup and implementation of these solutions, and even free tools like WSUS are well-known for their difficulties with effectively applying patches. This results in semi-automated patching which still necessitates manual intervention, meaning patches are still not consistently applied upon release.
Instead of utilizing tools which can end up adding time and frustration to the patching process, modern companies need a solution that can truly automate the patching process and apply patches in real time. And, work seamlessly across multiple operating systems as well as 3rd party applications, to remove the need for IT departments to cobble together multiple tools, to manage their patching.
Automox is a cloud based patch management solution that meets these needs and more. Through the combination of a lightweight cloud-based agent installed on your endpoints and a robust policy engine that manages the automatic deployment of patches. Automox allows companies to apply patches as soon as they’re released, or as part of their current patch testing workflow. This means specific patches can be applied immediately, while patches for critical applications can be tested and approved before being deployed. Using Automox, companies can reduce their time-to-patch by 90% and reduce the risk that unpatched vulnerabilities will lead to breaches and other forms of attack.
About Automox
Facing growing threats and a rapidly expanding attack surface, understaffed and alert-fatigued organizations need more efficient ways to eliminate their exposure to vulnerabilities. Automox is a modern cyber hygiene platform that closes aperture of attack by more than 80% with just half the effort of traditional solutions.
Cloud-based and globally available, Automox enforces OS & third-party patch management, security configurations, and custom scripting across Windows, Mac, and Linux from a single intuitive console. IT and SecOps can quickly gain control and share visibility of on-prem, remote and virtual endpoints without the need to deploy costly infrastructure.
Experience modern, cloud-based patch management today with a 15-day free trial of Automox and start recapturing more than half the time you're currently spending on managing your attack surface. Automox dramatically reduces corporate risk while raising operational efficiency to deliver best-in-class security outcomes, faster and with fewer resources.
