The most effective way to prevent a security hack is a robust patch-management program which includes routine installation of patches in a timely manner, time being the most critical issue.
According to a report by Ponemon, by focusing on patching, one can reduce the likelihood of a breach by 41%.
Below are three recommendations for an effective patch-management strategy, which will help mid-market enterprises keep their networks and systems completely secure.
Patching from a single console
Implementing an “all-in-one” endpoint solution that enables centralized management of all the security functions including detection, prevention and response across every endpoint, on-premises and off premises, should be a priority for MMEs.
Organizations usually deploy multiple tools for various OSs, configurations and applications. Meanwhile, large enterprises have enough human resources in the form of a SOC (Security Operations Center) team to battle their security issues. However, MMEs need to look for a unified patch management solution that demands less time and resources to meet their security needs so that they can focus on their core business tasks.
VSA by Kaseya provides unified management and comprehensive visibility, and scalable automation so you can install, deploy, and update all your Windows, Mac, and third party software.
Elimination of manual processes
In today’s age, when automation should have been the backbone of every IT process, manual processes still persist. According to the same report by Ponemon, 55% of the organizations spend more time navigating manual processes than responding to vulnerabilities.
An automated patch remediation process helps not to lose valuable time between patch release and its application. VSA by Kaseya helps in automated scheduling of patches by time, computer, group or user-defined collections of computers. It scans networks for installed and missing security patches, detects vulnerabilities and monitors and maintains patch compliance effectively.
Break down silos
Often patches need to be deployed in a test environment, undergo an approval process or require multiple steps to be deployed. In the process, organizations lose approximately about 12 days in implementing a patch due to coordination issues between teams. VSA by Kaseya helps by providing the ability to create policy profiles for automation of approval, review or rejection of patch updates. This means, with VSA one can simplify the process of updates using standardized, scalable profiles to approve, deny, or provide machine associations.
Patching is of course only one segment of the security program, but nevertheless, pivotal in reducing vulnerabilities and threats. Mid-market enterprises are disadvantaged with manual processes, siloed tools and the lack of resources to patch in timely manner. By investing in an efficient patch management solution like the VSA by Kaseya, they can significantly reduce the risk of breach and have a secured network.
To know more about VSA by Kaseya, visit our website here.
