A critical area of computer network management is the job of making sure that all the software that runs the company is up to date. And, every time a software company discovers that one of its software products has a vulnerability that a threat actor can exploit, the software company has to put together a code correction that will fix it. These code corrections are called patches, and with all the threats and malware increasing daily, software companies can generate a lot of patches, and frequently.

Patching Update Frequency, the Drudgery and Pitfalls

The task of keeping up with patches can be a drudgery, no doubt. On the other hand, setting up your systems to automatically update patches the moment that they are released from the software developers can lead to major problems – patches can have glitches. It’s not just Zoom or Google that can unwittingly end up releasing new problems with their patches, it can be software that hits closer to home when it comes to business – like word processing and email. Like Microsoft product patches having serious issues . It leaves the network administratorS constantly caught between a rock and a hard place: They are forever preoccupied with staying on top of software updates with a personal, hands-on commitment, or potentially dealing with broken systems if the updates happen automatically and without any pause to brace for possible malfunction. So what is the solution?

Don’t Be a Beta Tester for Patch Updates

The solution is actually quite simple: Automate patches, but automate them with a 2- or 3-day delay from their original release by the developers, which can be set within a remote management software. By then, any glitches will have been identified at the immediate release, and there will have been sufficient time for the developers to correct it.

It’s simple but intuitive. Let other business networks test the waters on any update for any software. A short delay will ensure that you jump in when you know that the water is safe and warm. But who is in a position to coordinate this efficiently?

Have a Professional Manage Your Patch Updates

Small to mid-sized businesses who are not able to have an in-house network administration that can keep up with this level of network management often out-source it. An MSSP (Managed Security Service Provider) exists for this need. Secure Networkers is an MSSP giving SMBs full network security. Guarding our customers from not-ready-for-primetime patch updates while keeping up with patch update frequency for all the systems and software used by the company is one of the often-utilized advantages we provide.

Threat actors are becoming more cunning, and they look at smaller businesses as being low-hanging fruit, believing their security will not be as hardened as it is with larger enterprises. When a threat actor comes lurking around your network looking for vulnerabilities, you can show them they came knocking on the wrong door if Secure Networkers is guarding it.