Here are examples of security patch management best practices.
Security Patch Management
A patch is a tiny update to an existing piece of software that is typically used to address bugs or security flaws. However, having a remedy but never using it would not help you. Patch management best practices must be implemented and applied to the relevant applications at the right time.
Security Patch Management Best Practices
1. Create a standard patch management process that is embedded in the software development life cycle (SDLC).
Having a standard patch management process can help to ensure that a company’s patch management objectives are met.
2. Create a formal patch management policy.
Companies should create a formal patch management policy that is part of the organization’s overall security program. The policy should be approved by the organization’s senior management and communicated to all employees.
3. Determine the level of risk for each system, and determine how much effort it will take to apply patches to those systems.
Any organization with an IT infrastructure needs to evaluate the risk each system poses and determine how much effort it will take to apply patches to those systems and the level of effort and resources it will take to maintain those systems at their present state.
4. Identify all of the applications in use.
All applications, including third-party applications, must be inventoried and evaluated for security vulnerabilities. This includes reviewing the vendor’s website for relevant information regarding patches and updates, including patch documentation and product security advisories.
5. Decide who is responsible for managing the patch process.
It is important to decide who has responsibility for managing the patch process.
For example, ask if is it an IT department function or a line-of-business function?
If it is a line-of-business function, then that organization must work with IT to identify systems on which they have responsibility. IT must also work with the line-of-business organization to ensure that their systems are patched appropriately.
If it is an IT responsibility, then the IT department must work with the line-of-business organization to ensure that their systems are patched. IT must also work with the line-of-business organization to ensure they have a process in place to review and document which systems in their environment need to be patched.
6. Assign a team member from the IT department to work with the line of business to manage the patch process.
When you have a team member from the IT department assigned eliminates a single point of failure and ensures that the patch process can be managed.
In addition, the team members from the IT department must ensure that the patch process is documented and that they report on the status of patches to senior management.
For instance, in some organizations, a line-of-business representative is responsible for managing the patch process with IT. In this case, it is important to ensure that this person understands how to identify systems in their environment; that they have responsibility for and how to work with IT to ensure that these systems have proper patches.
Conclusion
Having patch management can help to ensure that a company’s patch management objectives are met. A patch management policy should be part of the organization’s overall security program and should have approval and communicated to all employees.
