Top Ways to Manage Third-Party Patching

Third-party applications keep your organization running – and they’re a frequent target for attackers. Browsers, collaboration tools, and productivity apps update constantly, and each vendor distributes patches differently. Tracking those updates manually takes time and introduces risk.

The smarter approach is automated, policy-driven patching that keeps endpoints current without constant oversight. This guide explains what third-party patching involves, why it’s so complex, and how to modernize your process with a cloud-native solution.

Third-party patching covers any software that doesn’t come from your operating system provider. Tools like Chrome, Zoom, Slack, and Adobe Reader all fall into this category.

Each of these vendors uses different update mechanisms, silent switches, and release schedules. Without automation, you’re left juggling installers and scripts while trying to maintain compliance. Effective third-party patching means every endpoint receives timely updates across every app – consistently and securely.

Your software footprint keeps growing as teams adopt SaaS tools and specialized applications. Endpoints are scattered across offices, remote environments, and networks you don’t control.

Manual patching workflows simply can’t keep up.

Managing updates from multiple vendors requires a single control point. Centralizing patching in one console lets you create and enforce consistent policies across operating systems and applications.

With Automox, you can manage Windows, macOS, and Linux updates – including more than 570 third-party applications – from one platform. Policies handle scheduling, approval, and deployment automatically, reducing manual effort and error.

Automation doesn’t mean losing oversight. Policy-driven automation lets you decide what, when, and how to patch – without manual execution.

Automox scans endpoints on a customizable schedule, identifies missing updates, and applies them silently according to your chosen maintenance window. Each policy enforces consistent behavior, freeing your team from repetitive work and reducing the chance of configuration drift.

Patch integrity matters as much as coverage. Automox caches updates for Windows and macOS in a secure software catalog, scanning each package against multiple vulnerability sources before release.

For Linux environments, Automox uses native package managers such as yum, dnf, or apt – keeping your workflows familiar while maintaining centralized visibility. This structure removes the risk of unverified downloads and helps ensure your patches come from trusted sources.

Not every application lives in a public catalog. Proprietary, internal, or paywalled software often requires a manual process – unless you automate it.

With Automox Worklets™, you can script custom patching or configuration tasks in PowerShell or Bash. Worklets run alongside catalog patches in the same policy framework, giving you complete visibility and consistent control across all applications.

Compliance only matters if you can demonstrate it. Automated patching gives you the data to prove control.

Dashboards, audit logs, and APIs provide real-time insight into patch status, exceptions, and mean time to patch. These metrics help you identify bottlenecks, report progress to leadership, and strengthen your overall security posture.

Not every update carries equal urgency. Prioritize patches based on active exploits, business criticality, and exposure windows.

Automox policies can deploy high-severity fixes immediately while scheduling lower-priority updates for standard maintenance windows. That balance accelerates remediation where it matters most – without disrupting end users unnecessarily.

IT teams must protect devices everywhere – not just inside the corporate network. Because Automox is cloud-native, endpoints receive updates directly from the Automox console, with no VPN dependency or local infrastructure.

Whether users are on-site, remote, or hybrid, they stay protected and compliant without your team chasing devices across networks.

Third-party patching has become a core part of cybersecurity and IT efficiency. As application portfolios expand, manual patching can’t keep pace. Automating updates through a cloud-native, policy-driven approach helps you reduce risk, prove compliance, and focus on higher-value projects.

Automox combines centralized control, transparent coverage, and adaptive automation – giving you the confidence to stay ahead of vulnerabilities and spend less time chasing updates.

You can explore how Automox helps IT teams modernize patching, secure endpoints, and simplify management across every device.