How To Automate Your Patch Management

Learn about PurpleSec’s fully managed vulnerability management services.

Author: Jason Firch, MBA / Last Updated: 03/23/2023

Reviewed By: Josh Allen & Michael Swanagan, CISSP, CISA, CISM

View Our: Editorial Process

You can automate your patch management by selecting the right patch management tool that best suits your organization’s needs and configuring its automatic patching settings. Establishing deployment schedules, tracking and measuring success with KPIs, and continuously improving your vulnerability management program are also important components of an effective patch management program. Automating patch management saves time for IT and security teams and improves visibility and control over your IT environment.

Why Is Automated Patching Important?

Automated patching offers several benefits that contribute to a more secure and efficient IT environment:

• Ensures system security and integrity: By consistently applying necessary updates, automated patching helps to keep systems secure and prevent potential breaches.
• Drastically reduces the mean time to remediate a vulnerability: Automated patching significantly shortens the time it takes to fix a vulnerability, reducing the risk of exploitation.
• Frees up staff time: With patch management automated, IT staff can focus on more strategic tasks rather than spending time on manual patch deployment.
• Reduces downtime and potential vulnerabilities: Automating patch deployment minimizes system downtime and prevents potential vulnerabilities from being exploited.

Manual Patching VS Automatic Patching

When comparing manual and automatic patching processes, it’s essential to consider their respective pros and cons, as each approach has unique advantages and drawbacks depending on the organization’s size, resources, and specific needs.

Manual Patching

Pros

• Greater control: Enables IT teams to have more control over patch deployment, catering to unique requirements and avoiding compatibility issues. 

• Patch review: Allows IT teams to examine and approve patches before deployment, reducing the risk of unintended consequences. 

Cons

• Time-consuming: Requires constant effort to monitor, assess, and deploy patches, making the process labor-intensive. 

• Human error: The manual nature of the process increases the potential for mistakes. 

• Constant monitoring: Demands ongoing vigilance to track security bulletins and patch releases, posing a challenge for organizations with limited resources or complex IT infrastructures. 

Automatic Patching

Pros

• Efficiency: Streamlines the patch management process and reduces workload on IT teams.
• Consistency: Ensures patches are deployed uniformly across all systems, reducing the risk of missed patches and vulnerabilities.
• Timeliness: Automatically downloads, tests, and deploys patches according to a predetermined schedule.

Cons

• Reliable tool needed: Requires a compatible and dependable patch management tool to be effective.
• Fine-tuning: May need adjustments to avoid deploying problematic patches, involving pre-deployment testing and customized settings.
• Potential issues: Risk of deploying incompatible patches that may cause system issues or conflicts, necessitating regular review of patch deployment logs.

When Should You Automate Patch Management?

Deciding when to automate patch management involves evaluating your organization’s current situation, needs, and goals.

Here are some key scenarios indicating that it’s time to consider automating patch management: 

• Limited In-House IT Security Resources
• High Volume of Software and Patches
• Complex IT Infrastructure
• Desire to Improve Remediation Time
• Compliance Requirements

Limited In-House IT Security Resources

If your organization lacks the necessary in-house IT security expertise or resources, automating patch management can help bridge the gap.

Automated solutions streamline security operations, reducing the burden on your existing IT staff and ensuring that your systems are consistently updated and protected from vulnerabilities.

High Volume of Software and Patches

Organizations with a large number of software applications and frequent patch releases can quickly become overwhelmed by the volume of updates.

Automating patch management allows your organization to keep up with the pace of updates and ensure that all software is patched promptly and consistently, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities being exploited.

Complex IT Infrastructure

As organizations grow and adopt new technologies, their IT infrastructure becomes more complex. This can make it challenging to manage and maintain software patches effectively.

Automated patch management can simplify the process, ensuring that patches are applied consistently across your entire IT infrastructure, even as it continues to evolve.

Desire To Improve Remediation Time

Reducing the time it takes to remediate vulnerabilities can significantly limit the damage caused by a security breach.

Automated patch management helps organizations streamline the process of identifying, prioritizing, and remediating vulnerabilities. This faster remediation time can improve your organization’s overall cybersecurity posture and minimize the impact of security incidents.

Compliance Requirements

Organizations subject to industry regulations or compliance standards may find it challenging to keep up with the necessary patch management processes.

Automated patch management can help ensure that your organization meets these requirements by:

• Consistently applying patches in a timely manner.
• Providing centralized reporting and documentation.
• Reducing the risk of non-compliance penalties.

Benefits & Popular Features Of Automated Patching

Automated patching offers several features that make it an attractive option for organizations seeking to improve their patch management processes:

• Centralized management and reporting: A centralized dashboard allows IT administrators to easily oversee and control patch deployments across all systems.
• Custom software deployment and patching: Automated patching tools can support proprietary and third-party applications, ensuring consistent patch deployment across all software.
• Support for third-party feature and security patch deployment: Automated patching tools can integrate with third-party vendors, allowing seamless deployment of both feature and security updates.

How Automated Patching Works

Automated patching follows a streamlined process that typically includes the following steps:

• Patch discovery: The patch management tool identifies new patches and updates from various sources, such as software vendors and security bulletins.
• Patch assessment: The tool evaluates the patches to determine their relevance and criticality to the organization’s systems.
• Patch deployment: Based on predefined criteria and schedules, the tool automatically deploys the appropriate patches to the affected systems.
• Reporting and monitoring: The tool generates reports on the patch deployment process and monitors the success of the updates.

The auto patch feature can automatically apply critical updates based on the organization’s risk profile.

This ensures that high-priority vulnerabilities are addressed promptly, minimizing the risk of exploitation.

It’s important to note that CVSS scores and criticality alone aren’t always reliable indicators of a patch’s importance.

Even low-severity vulnerabilities can be chained together to compromise a system.

Therefore, organizations should prioritize patches that address exploitable vulnerabilities rather than focusing solely on their severity ratings.

Steps To Automating Your Patch Management

Step 1: Choose the Right Patch Management Tool

Evaluate various patch management tools based on their features, compatibility with your organization’s systems, and pricing.

Select a tool that best suits your organization’s needs and offers a balance between functionality and affordability.

Here are some popular patch management tools and when they might be appropriate for your organization:

• ManageEngine Patch Manager Plus: This tool is suitable for small to medium-sized businesses that need a comprehensive solution for patching Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. It also supports third-party application patching and offers an easy-to-use interface for managing patches.
• Ivanti Patch for SCCM: If your organization is already using Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to manage your IT infrastructure, Ivanti Patch for SCCM can be an ideal choice. It extends SCCM’s capabilities by providing patch management for third-party applications, ensuring a seamless integration with your existing setup.
• SolarWinds Patch Manager: SolarWinds Patch Manager is suitable for organizations that require an easy-to-use, centralized solution for managing patches across various operating systems and applications. It offers extensive reporting features and allows you to automate the patch management process.
• GFI LanGuard: GFI LanGuard is an all-in-one solution for patch management, vulnerability assessment, and network auditing. It supports a wide range of operating systems and applications, making it a versatile choice for organizations with diverse IT environments.
• Automox: Automox is a cloud-native patch management solution, which makes it an excellent option for organizations looking to manage patches across distributed environments. It supports Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, as well as third-party applications.

Step 2: Configure Automatic Patching Settings

Once you’ve chosen a patch management tool, configure the automatic patching settings to meet your organization’s requirements.

This includes setting up patch sources, deployment schedules, and rollback options in case a patch causes issues.

The configuration process will vary depending on the tool you’ve selected, but here are some general steps to follow:

• Assemble a cross-functional team: Involve representatives from IT, security, and other relevant departments to ensure all perspectives are considered during the configuration process. This collaboration will help you establish patch management policies and procedures that align with your organization’s priorities and risk tolerance.
• Determine patch sources: Configure your patch management tool to obtain patches from the appropriate sources, including operating system vendors and third-party software providers. Some tools may also support custom patch repositories for proprietary applications.
• Establish deployment schedules: Determine the frequency and timing of patch deployment based on your organization’s needs and risk tolerance. This may include setting up regular maintenance windows for non-critical updates and establishing processes for handling emergency patches in response to critical vulnerabilities.
• Configure notification workflows: Set up notifications to keep relevant stakeholders informed about patch deployment status, potential issues, and other important updates. This can help ensure timely communication and prompt resolution of any problems that may arise.
• Allocate resources and time: Schedule dedicated time for the configuration process, including meetings, testing, and training. Ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to support the implementation and ongoing maintenance of your patch management solution.
• Set up rollback options: Configure your patch management tool to enable easy rollback of patches in case of compatibility issues or other unforeseen problems. This can help minimize downtime and reduce the potential negative impact of a problematic patch.
• Test the configuration: Test your patch management tool’s configuration in a controlled environment to identify and resolve any issues before deploying patches to production systems. This may involve setting up a separate testing environment or using virtual machines to simulate your organization’s IT infrastructure.
• Document the process: Create thorough documentation of your patch management policies, procedures, and tool configurations to ensure consistency and facilitate knowledge sharing among team members. Update this documentation as needed to reflect changes in your organization’s patch management strategy.

Step 3: Schedule & Monitor Patch Deployment

Scheduling regular patch deployments and monitoring their progress are essential components of an effective patch management program.

By staying on top of patch deployment, you can maintain visibility into your organization’s efforts and make data-driven decisions to improve security.

• Establish deployment schedules: Schedule regular patch deployments based on your organization’s needs and risk tolerance. Consider factors such as system criticality, regulatory requirements, and maintenance windows when determining the optimal frequency and timing for patch deployment.
• Track & Measure Success: Establish specific KPIs to measure the success of your patch management program. Regularly review these KPIs to identify trends and areas for improvement.
• Enhance visibility into systems and assets: Automating patch management frees up time for IT and security teams to work on improving visibility into systems and assets. This may involve tasks such as maintaining an up-to-date inventory of hardware and software, identifying unauthorized or unsupported devices, and monitoring for signs of compromise.
• Continuously improve your vulnerability management program: Use the insights gained from monitoring patch deployments and tracking KPIs to identify areas for improvement in your vulnerability management program. This may involve refining patch deployment schedules, optimizing patch management policies, or investing in additional tools to improve visibility and control over your IT environment.

Top Challenges When Automating Patch Management

Automating patch management comes with its own set of challenges that organizations need to address:

It enables IT departments to automate the process of updating software in a timely and secure manner, ensuring that all systems are protected against vulnerabilities and security threats.

Ensuring Compatibility

One of the main challenges in automating patch management is ensuring compatibility between patches and existing software.

Conflicts can lead to system instability or performance issues.

To mitigate this risk, organizations should perform thorough testing in a controlled environment before deploying patches to production systems.

This allows IT teams to identify and address potential issues before they impact the wider organization.

Handling Custom & Legacy Applications

Custom and legacy applications often require special attention when it comes to patch management, as they may not be supported by standard patch management tools.

Organizations must carefully consider the unique needs of these applications and may need to develop custom patching solutions or work with specialized vendors to ensure security updates are applied correctly and efficiently.

Managing Network & Bandwidth Considerations

Efficient patch distribution requires careful consideration of network bandwidth and infrastructure to prevent bottlenecks and slowdowns.

Organizations should plan and schedule patch deployment to minimize the impact on network performance, especially during peak usage times.

In addition, they may need to invest in network upgrades or optimization solutions to support large-scale patch distribution.

Dealing With Legacy Systems

Legacy systems that cannot be patched pose a significant risk to an organization’s security.

In such cases, alternative security measures should be implemented, such as isolating the systems from the rest of the network, implementing additional monitoring solutions, or considering replacement or upgrade options to more modern and secure systems.

PurpleSec’s Automated Patch Management Solution

PurpleSec provides a cloud-native automated patching service that enables organizations to manage and remediate vulnerabilities quickly and efficiently.

With cutting-edge automation and AI-powered technologies, PurpleSec’s solution delivers end-to-end detection and remediation, making it easy for SecOps and ITOps to coordinate from the moment a vulnerability is discovered until it’s remediated.

Virtual Machine Deployment

PurpleSec offers a virtual machine package or security device with a simple one-day setup process to streamline the deployment of its patch management services. This allows organizations to get started quickly with minimal requirements for implementation, configuration, or training.

Security Tool Integration

PurpleSec’s patch management services integrate seamlessly with an organization’s existing technology stack, making it easy to configure and automate as much or as little of the vulnerability management lifecycle as needed. This allows organizations to prioritize and mitigate vulnerabilities at scale across highly distributed architectures.

Risk-Based Vulnerability Management

PurpleSec’s patch management services provide continuous monitoring, automated vulnerability patching, risk-based prioritization, streamlined processes and procedures, and direct access to defensive security experts.

With a framework to proactively identify, classify, remediate, and mitigate vulnerabilities in applications or IT infrastructure, PurpleSec helps organizations reduce risk and maximize the ROI of their security initiatives.

Managed Automation

PurpleSec’s patch management services offer an expert-defined remediation library that immediately delivers the right fix for any vulnerability to speed up risk remediation.

The platform automatically manages and analyzes vulnerabilities and risks in one place, eliminating the need for organizations to manually look up fixes or workarounds for each vulnerability.

This not only reduces the time and effort required for effective risk management but also ensures that vulnerabilities are fixed and critical cyber risks are addressed in a timely fashion.

Process Evolution

PurpleSec’s patch management services are designed to evolve with an organization’s needs.

With customizable risk analytics and reporting, context-aware vulnerability prioritization, communication and collaboration with all departments, expert-defined remediation intelligence, and automated mitigation playbooks, PurpleSec enables organizations to streamline their vulnerability management programs and increase their security ROI.

Wrapping Up

Automating patch management is essential for organizations looking to enhance their cyber security posture in today’s complex and rapidly evolving threat landscape.

Organizations can significantly reduce the time and effort required to deploy patches by automating their patching processes.

However, this transition requires careful planning, selection of the right patch management tool, and addressing challenges such as compatibility, custom and legacy applications, network considerations, and dealing with legacy systems.

By implementing best practices and a comprehensive approach to vulnerability management, organizations can stay ahead of emerging threats and ensure the ongoing security of their systems and data.