As networks evolve and department needs change, the PC and workstation market has splintered. While Windows operating systems once dominated, Mac devices have risen steadily. Even Linux now offers laptops. Among desktops in the US, Windows is now at 72.9% market share, while Mac OS X has grown to 21.2%. When you consider other endpoints including tablets and smartphones, the market is even more divided, with Windows at 38.4% of all operating systems in the US. With Microsoft releasing software that works on Mac, and Google ensuring that the Chrome browser works on all operating systems, there is no longer a dominant system,
Even though Microsoft and Apple have taken strides towards some level of compatibility, companies using both Windows and Mac workstations still run into several issues when managing the two systems. Different software versions must be purchased for each, and updating the two operating systems and their related applications becomes a more time-consuming task.
In the past, individuals using Mac operating systems may have been left to perform their own updates, but as malware specifically targeting Mac has increased in popularity and Mac systems have included several critical vulnerabilities, IT departments have had to take on the patching of these workstations in addition to Windows devices and 3rd party applications.
This inability to easily patch Mac workstations has led to outdated systems existing in a company’s infrastructure: A month after Mac OS Sierra was released, 35% of companies had failed to update. This has always been an issue for Windows users, with nearly 50% of companies still running Windows 7 after Windows 10 was released, and another 20% running even older, unsupported versions of Windows.
Even with the threat of unpatched known vulnerabilities, IT Managers and SysAdmins struggle to find a simple solution for patching both Windows and Mac workstations efficiently. Vendor-provided systems like WSUS for Windows only patch their own operating system along with a limited ability to patch 3rd party applications.
Using different solutions for Windows and Mac can also create difficulties for reporting and don’t offer full system visibility. Additionally, configuring and maintaining multiple patching tools takes time and resources from IT teams who are asked to juggle patching with competing priorities.
Fortunately, modern cloud based patching solutions, like Automox, recognize the need for simple, effective multi OS patching. Automox patches Windows and Mac from a single dashboard. And because the solution is cloud based, the workstations don’t have be on premise behind a firewall. As long as they’re connected to the internet, they can be patched in real time. This ensures all endpoints are consistently up-to-date. On demand reporting of patch status is as easy as the push of a button, so key stakeholders are easily kept in the loop.
About Automox
Facing growing threats and a rapidly expanding attack surface, understaffed and alert-fatigued organizations need more efficient ways to eliminate their exposure to vulnerabilities. Automox is a modern cyber hygiene platform that closes aperture of attack by more than 80% with just half the effort of traditional solutions.
Cloud-based and globally available, Automox enforces OS & third-party patch management, security configurations, and custom scripting across Windows, Mac, and Linux from a single intuitive console. IT and SecOps can quickly gain control and share visibility of on-prem, remote and virtual endpoints without the need to deploy costly infrastructure.
Experience modern, cloud-based management today with a 15-day free trial of Automox and start recapturing more than half the time you're currently spending on managing your attack surface. Automox dramatically reduces corporate risk while raising operational efficiency to deliver best-in-class security outcomes, faster and with fewer resources.
