System patching: in this world of ever-evolving threats, the basics are vital

There are many different ways of protecting your organisation from cyber criminals, all with varying levels of cost and complexity. All you need to do is attend a cyber security conference, and you’ll find dozens of products and services all claiming to be able to solve your various security woes.

But it’s definitely worth looking closer to home before you start exploring the latest available technologies. That’s because, if your organisation isn’t following the principles of basic cyber hygiene, you’ve got a problem that needs to be addressed urgently. And one of the most fundamental requirements of basic cyber hygiene is patching.

Let’s overview why… 

What is system patching and why is it important?

Patching – or system patching – refers to the process of updating your systems’ software or firmware. These updates, known as patches, can help to enhance system functionality and improve overall system performance, but more importantly, they address vulnerabilities, bugs and other known security weaknesses.

It’s vital that all software – including third-party applications – is up-to-date (and therefore secure). Otherwise, it’s much easier for cyber attackers to gain access to your systems, because they can exploit vulnerabilities found in software on any device – from the OS on a mobile phone to a software application on a laptop.

Once they find a vulnerability on one of your devices, they can dig their way deeper and deeper into your systems, where they can deploy malware or ransomware, impersonate key members of your team, disrupt your operations, steal or release confidential data, and either steal or trick you into sending them money.

However, if you update your systems regularly and ensure that security patches are deployed in a timely manner across all devices, you will significantly reduce the risk of a successful cyber attack, because you’ll have at least addressed all known vulnerabilities. (If you want to know more about this, we wrote a blog post previously that goes into detail about patching policies, how often you should be patching and patch classification, which you can read by clicking here.)

How Securious can help make this easy for you

While the principle of system patching is indeed incredibly simple, in reality, it’s no simple task. 

It may be that your IT company is responsible for your patching. If this is the case, we would recommend confirming that they’re patching all your systems rather than just your Operating Systems, and clarifying how frequently they do this. (For more information on making sure your IT company is doing the right things for your organisation, click here to read a blog all about it.)

Otherwise, it may well be worth having your environment scanned to understand what vulnerabilities you have in your systems. Securious can provide this service, from £495 (+ vat). 

We can also provide an automatic patching service to automate the entire process, removing that task from your internal IT resource, so they can focus on proactive protection of your systems. This costs only £35 (+vat) per device per year. If you’re interested, get in touch using the contact form below.