What is Patching in Networking and How to Prevent Device Vulnerabilities

Cyber-attacks are among the most prominent issues affecting businesses in the digital age. With increased digitized assets and cloud-based data storage, protecting your devices is more crucial than ever.

Network patching is a critical method that organizations use to secure devices and networks from vulnerabilities. An effective patch management system protects sensitive data by ensuring all devices receive patches and are deployed successfully. This is vital in any organization’s cybersecurity strategy.

Patching is the process of updating software, firmware, and systems to improve security and fix known vulnerabilities. Patches are essential to network security because they help ensure regular software updates, bug fixes, and system enhancements.

Several categories of patches exist, though an individual patch may fit into multiple categories.

Security Patches: address and fix a specific security vulnerability that affects a program.

Feature Updates: these are typically larger in scale than security patches and provide general improvements. An example is an iOS version update.

Critical Patches: target known security vulnerabilities that have occurred. They are essential for addressing remote attacks.

Bug Fix Patches: software changes to correct problems. They ensure that programs operate more smoothly and are less prone to crashes.

Patching provides numerous security benefits to your business and allows operations to run smoothly. Here are a few of the crucial advantages:

Vulnerability Prevention: patches address known weaknesses that hackers may exploit, minimizing the chance of an attack.

Improved System Performance: in addition to security fixes, patches often include performance improvements that enhance the functionality of your network, reducing downtime.

Compliance Requirements: many industries have strict regulations that require businesses to conduct routine patching. This is especially important for healthcare companies that must comply with HIPAA requirements.

Mitigating Zero-Day Exploits: zero-day exploits occur when cyber attackers find security flaws unknown to the user, allowing the hacker access to sensitive information. When users catch a security flaw, they have “zero days” to address it because it is too late. With patching, organizations can protect against newly discovered vulnerabilities before they become widely exploited.

If your organization does not patch network devices, problems may arise that threaten the security of your environment and the stability of business operations. These are some potential risks your company could face.

Increased Vulnerability: unpatched devices are more susceptible to cyber-attacks, such as malware or ransomware attacks.

Data Breaches: by failing to patch devices, you increase the potential for your data to be stolen or leaked due to unpatched security holes.

Downtime and Financial Loss: system disruptions or failures caused by security breaches can result in costly downtime for your organization.

Reputational Damage: if security is compromised in an attack, businesses risk losing the trust of loyal customers.

Now that you understand the importance of patching devices, here are some practical tips to help you get started.

Establish a Patch Management Process: set up a routine schedule for applying patches to protect your organization against cybercrime.

Inventory of Devices: keep an updated inventory of all network devices that need patching, including servers, routers, and switches.

Automated Patch Management Tools: use software to automate patch deployment across your network so devices receive patches as they become available.

Testing Patches: implement patches in a controlled environment first to avoid compatibility issues. Testing on a small group of devices can help ensure a patch is deployed successfully before rolling it out to your entire organization.

Monitoring and Reporting: continuously monitor to ensure patches are successfully deployed and report any missing updates.

To ensure the success of your network patch management, follow these best practices.

Timely Patch Application: apply patches as soon as they’re released to minimize exposure to threats.

Backup Before Patching: always backup systems before applying patches in case of issues that could result in data loss.

Review Patch Notes: read release notes to understand what the patch addresses and any potential risks involved in deployment.

Patch Priority: prioritize critical patches that fix severe vulnerabilities or affect systems crucial to business operations.

Monitor Patch Status: ensure all patches are installed correctly and regularly review the patch status of network devices.

Patching is a crucial step in securing network devices and preventing vulnerabilities. By addressing the weak spots in your network security, your organization can stop bad actors from attacking your environment.

Establishing an effective patch management system allows you to protect your company’s most critical assets, improve organizational productivity, and maintain a positive reputation among clients. This allows your business to operate at its fullest potential constantly.

Need more help managing your company’s network? Learn about our network management services.