The best patch management software for charities 2021

“I’ll do that later.”

When the little notification pops up reminding you to update your software, it is easy to hit the snooze button, telling yourself that you will remember to come back to it afterwards. It’s understandable – no-one likes to be interrupted when they are in the swing of things.

But every time you do not update your software, you place yourself, your organisation, and your network at risk. Out-of-date software provides hackers with an opportunity to attack. In fact, out-of-date software is the single biggest contributing factor to exposing yourself to cyber crime: with 60% of all breaches resulting from attackers targeting known flaws for which patches have already been issued.

It can be difficult and time-consuming to keep track of all the various updates that need to be installed – particularly when you work across a wide range of software and apps. Luckily, patch management software can automate the process, saving you time and reducing the possibility of error.

A patch is a software update issued by developers to account for any vulnerabilities that may present an opportunity for cyber criminals. Patches are issued fairly frequently. Patch management software automatically scans for newly issued patches and installs them remotely, ensuring your software remains protected from the latest threats in real-time.

An effective patch management solution will allow you to patch all devices across your network –regardless of whether they’re behind a firewall, deployed remotely, or even asleep.

In an era of remote and hybrid work, patch management is more important than ever, providing the first line of defense against cyber threats. But for the uninitiated, it can be difficult to know where to start.

In this article, we cut through the jargon to run through the top five providers of patch management software for charities.

1. Avast Business Patch Management

Description: This powerful, all-in-one patch management solution is the gold standard when it comes to protecting your network. Avast Business Patch Management eliminates the guesswork from patch management by identifying critical vulnerabilities and allowing administrators to deploy patches across all connected devices from one central dashboard.

Avast’s patch management is delivered through their Cloud Management Console and deployed with any of their Managed Antivirus products (Antivirus, Antivirus Pro, Antivirus Pro Plus).

Avast Business Patch management allows users to set up, acquire, test, approve, and install system updates and patches remotely from the Management Console Dashboard.

Price: From £11.99 per user per year

Key features: Automatic scanning; customisable patches; remote deployment; master agent capabilities; patch support for Windows and thousands of third-party applications

Discounted charity offer: Avast Business Patch Management is currently available at a 75% discounted charity rate through the Charity Digital Exchange

Subscription Model: Annual Subscription – Licence

2. Symantec Endpoint Management

Description: Symantec Endpoint Management is a well-established endpoint protection solution that includes several highly effective patch management features.

This popular security tool allows users to remotely deploy patches and software updates, as well as automating the collection, analysis, and delivery of patches across an entire network.

Symantec’s Endpoint Management solutions are available as part of their IT Management Suite.

Price: Pricing available upon request

Key features: Automatic scanning; remote delivery of patches across your network; management of software updates; automated analysis

Discounted charity offer: N/A

Subscription Model: Annual Subscription – Licence

3. Avira Software Updater

Description: This powerful and intuitive patch management solution is about as good a free option as there is out there. Avira Software Updater scans more than 1,500 popular apps including all major browsers and out-of-date drivers.

However, the solution does not automatically update patches. Instead, Avira Software Updater notifies users when a new patch is issued so that they can update manually. Automatic updates are available as part of a paid subscription with Avira’s Software Updater Pro.

Avira Software Updater can be used in concert with other Avira products. For personal use, Avira Endpoint Protection will provide simple patch management functionality that will update users when it is time to issue patches manually.

Price: A free version is available with limited functionality. Paid licenses are available from £2.99 per user per month

Key features: Patch notifications; patch support for Windows and thousands of third-party applications; flexible selection

Discounted charity offer: N/A

Subscription Model: Annual Subscription – Licence

4. GFI Languard

Description: GFI LanGuard is a powerful, high-end patch management solution designed for organisations with ten or more systems to protect.

The tool is configured to cover entire networks, and can handle updates for multiple operating systems, including Windows 7-10, Mac OSX, and Linux.

It is not a program designed for beginners. GI Languard can be difficult to set up and complex to use. For organisations seeking powerful patching solutions, however, GFI Languard’s extensive functionality is unmatched.

Price: Pricing available upon request

Key features: Automatic scanning; patch support for Windows and 80+ third-party applications; SQL server support; full network scanning

Discounted charity offer: N/A

Subscription Model: Annual Subscription – Licence

5. SysAid Patch Management

Description: SysAid Patch Management is built using OEM technology and provides a full and seamless patch management solution from within the SysAid suite. This solution is available with a subscription to SysAid IT Asset Management.

SysAid Patch Management works best if operated by a skilled IT administrator. The software provides an overview of all the patches available for the active IT assets within your network.

SysAid’s powerful functionality enables administrators to deploy patches and patch management policies either automatically or manually, as well as across multiple or individual active assets.

Price: Pricing available upon request

Key features: Automatic scanning; manual patch management; customisable SysAid patch; tracking capability for progress of patch deployments and end results

Discounted charity offer: N/A

Subscription Model: Annual Subscription – Licence