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Back in the day, legacy patching solutions like WSUS were at the forefront of vulnerability patch management technology. And while these older technologies may still have their uses, the fact of the matter is that today's varied digital landscape calls for a more modern solution.
Cross-platform patch management is integral for an effective and efficient vulnerability patching strategy. In times past, most devices were on-premises and they all ran on the same operating system. But these days, organizations often have a vast network of endpoints that run on different platforms. Relying on more traditional (or archaic) patch management solutions can create unnecessary complexity and slow down the entire patching process.
Modern cross-platform patching technologies can bridge the gaps in your cybersecurity game while offering faster, more accessible patch management.
Legacy patch management solutions are out
There are many reasons why organizations may choose to run different systems, platforms, and software across their network. But regardless of whether you're using macOS, Windows or Linux, you're going to need a patching solution that is effective – and time efficient. While it may be common to delay patch deployment, it is not a good habit to have.
Most legacy patch management solutions are limited in their ability to handle multiple operating systems and endpoints. These limitations can put a real strain on your patch management, and ultimately, lead to an overly complex and convoluted process that is nothing but a pain for everyone involved. While these options may be better than manual patching, they are still cost-prohibitive and can be difficult to configure.
It is no wonder so many tech professionals report that they will delay patching their organization's network; it's time-consuming and frustrating. But there is a better way.
Why cross-platform patch management is essential
If you want to simplify your organization's patching strategy, considering a cross-platform solution is a must.
Having the ability to patch across an entire network, no matter the OS, with a single tool, doesn't just make the process of patching easier – it is also far more time efficient.
No matter what you're working with, having one tool that can “cover all your bases” definitely makes patching a much smoother process.
Cross-platform patching can help boost your overall cybersecurity efficiency by helping your organization ensure that critical security updates can be deployed across your network as soon as possible.
Time is not on your side when it comes to patching. Leading industry data suggests that malicious actors are weaponizing new vulnerabilities in as little as seven days. Zero-day vulnerabilities have already been weaponized at the time of disclosure.
That's why industry leaders are now saying that if an organization wants to stay ahead of threats, critical vulnerabilities should be patched within 72 hours – and zero-day vulnerabilities should be addressed within 24 hours.
Currently, the average time it takes for an organization to patch is 102 days. If patching in three days or less sounds like an impossible task – that's because it is, if you're relying on manual or legacy patch management solutions.
With cloud-based solutions like Automox, users can deploy patches and see what's happening in real-time, across all endpoints – regardless of whether your patching Windows or Mac devices, or even a third-party application. Cross-platform patch management solutions can help your organization be more secure, faster.
Unified endpoint security for all
It wasn't terribly long ago that most data breaches were attacks on networks themselves – but these days, endpoints are a key route of entry for attackers. As such, endpoint security is now a top concern for organizations of every size. Unified endpoint management is critical to keeping your endpoints visible and up-to-date with necessary patches. And with cloud-based, cross-platform patching solutions, users can deploy patches to literally every device on the network – and see what's happening in real-time.
Endpoint visibility is a major problem for many businesses. Legacy patching solutions may offer some degree of patch management for endpoints, but these options lack many of the desirable features that come with more modern solutions. Being able to “see” all of the endpoints on your network on one platform and monitor your patch deployments in real-time is crucial. Not only does this help your organization ensure its entire network is getting the latest security updates, it makes the job of patching endpoints far less painful. And with a solution like Automox, you can do more than just see your endpoints – you can also take action and remediate vulnerabilities within your endpoints. As an automated, cross-platform patch management platform, Automox gives users full visibility into patch status as well as power over patch application. Keeping all your endpoints managed with a single tool may even save your sanity.
Cloud-based patch management for better results cross platform
Patch management has gotten a bad rap over the years. With legacy technologies, patching was a time-consuming, arduous and costly endeavor that no one really wanted to deal with. This problem has only gotten worse as the average organization's network has only grown more expansive over time. Between the vast array of endpoints, operating systems, and other software, traditional patching methodology leaves quite a bit to be desired.
A survey from Tripwire suggests that many organizations struggle with patch fatigue, largely due to being overwhelmed and unable to keep up with the sheer volume of patches they have to deal with each year. This is further compounded by anxieties about timing and prioritization for patches. And some 20 percent of organizations are still patching manually – talk about anxiety. But cloud-based patching can offer a modern solution to a modern problem that is actually affordable.
Experts say that cloud-based patching is the best way to solve the numerous problems so many organizations face with their current patching strategies. Cloud-based solutions like Automox can patch hybrid networks without any further configuration – and because it's in the cloud, your IT professionals don't need to worry about maintaining the patching system in and of itself.
Another benefit of cloud-based patch management is that patches can be readily deployed to new devices that have just been added to your network – no matter where they're located.
Patch management best practices for every platform
Savvy businesses use a variety of operating systems, platforms and software to best fit their needs. It's a brave new world we're living in, but that doesn't mean your patch management best practices should suffer. Cross-platform patch management allows your organization to keep its cybersecurity game on point by staying up-to-date with the latest patches. Cloud-based solutions offer a modern approach to patching, streamlining the process of deploying security updates across vast networks of different endpoints and operating systems. Having a strong patching strategy is critical to maintaining good cyber hygiene. And with modern, cross-platform solutions, organizations can speed up their time-to-patch and keep attackers at bay.
Currently, the time it takes for most businesses to patch a vulnerability is many times longer than the time it takes for malicious actors to weaponize those vulnerabilities. Many believe they are taking a “calculated risk” and that their firewalls and antivirus software will protect them, but there are all kinds of ways for attackers to get into your system these days. Patching vulnerabilities is the only way to ensure they will not be exploited.
With a cross-platform patch management solution, you can ensure your patching protocol is both efficient and effective.
Automox for Easy IT Operations
Automox is the cloud-native IT operations platform for modern organizations. It makes it easy to keep every endpoint automatically configured, patched, and secured – anywhere in the world. With the push of a button, IT admins can fix critical vulnerabilities faster, slash cost and complexity, and win back hours in their day.
Grab your free trial of Automox and join thousands of companies transforming IT operations into a strategic business driver.
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