Patch management is the organised process of keeping software, firmware and operating systems current by finding available fixes, testing them, deploying them and confirming they were applied. Security patches get priority because they close known vulnerabilities.
Why it matters
Attackers watch vendor advisories and often start exploiting flaws soon after details become public. Systems that stay unpatched remain exposed to attacks that are well understood. At the same time, careless patching can break applications, so mature teams balance speed with testing. An accurate inventory is the foundation: you cannot patch what you do not know exists.
Example
A simple policy might be:
- Critical, actively exploited flaws on internet-facing systems: patch within days.
- High severity: within a couple of weeks.
- Others: in the regular monthly cycle.
Each deployment is tested on a small group first and has a rollback plan.
Common mistakes
- Having no inventory, so forgotten servers and devices miss updates.
- Patching the operating system but ignoring libraries, plugins and firmware.
- Skipping verification, so failed installs go unnoticed.
- Using severity score alone without considering exposure and exploitation.
Related
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This page is general information written by our editorial team and updated when documentation changes. Servers and providers differ, so test changes safely first. See our editorial policy and disclaimer.