Why you need patch management

A patch is a software update issued by developers to account for vulnerabilities that may provide an opportunity for cyber criminals. Patch management allows charities using various types of software to ensure updates are installed regularly.

Patch management is essential for ensuring safe and secure networks. But it is often overlooked, with a recent assessment of 500,000 endpoints showing that only 29% of devices passed the patch test.

Cyber security experts understand the importance of patch management. But many charities do not. If charities focus on cyber security – and, unfortunately, that’s a big if – then they tend to focus on endpoint protection software and strong passwords. Patch management is not often seen as a priority.

Perhaps the main reason is that patch management requires time and resources from a dedicated IT team, which may not be an option for some charities. But even small teams can patch – and they should certain consider doing so. The costs of a cyber breach are huge, something that charity IT staff are inviting by not applying appropriate patches.

The stats are clear. Data breaches cost organisations an average of $3.92 million (£2.84 million approx). The average size of a breach is 25,575 records containing sensitive and confidential information. Each record costs about $150 (£108 approx) on average globally.

The white paper from Avast, ’Patch management: automated protection for a new generation of threats’, explores the risks and the costs in detail. It explains how charities can ensure they have patch management front of mind. It uncovers the myths and facts around patch management, linking to some interesting and insightful information that will help charities to make sensible decisions. The White Paper also contains vital information on how patch management actually works, including a four-part summary of the process as highlighted by the ISACA.

And, finally, the White Paper offers an interesting case study, which shows patch management in process. It looked at how Usel, Northern Ireland’s largest supporter of people with disabilities or health conditions as they transition into employment, tackled patch management issues when switching to remote working.

Usel has a strong commitment to their service users and wants to ensure sensitive data is protected. So they implemented Avast Patch Management. Avast’s automated solution enabled Usel to deploy patches to devices and laptops across their organisation remotely and effectively, providing robust cyber security.

The White Paper is essential reading for charities who want to learn about the application of patch management. Click below to download your own copy now!